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Cameron Smith bares down late to win 2022 Players Championship

Smith put his second shot on 18 in the water, but was able to get up and down for bogey to win by one stroke.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It was Cameron Smith's time. 

Even his mullet subtly blew towards THE PLAYERS Championship trophy as he teed up on the 18th hole with a three-shot lead on his way to victory.

"I felt really comfortable on the range with my irons, and I knew if I could somehow get it in the fairway, I felt it was mine to win from the start," Smith said.  

After hitting his tee shot right into the pine straw on 18, Smith's (-14) second shot scooted through the fairway and into the water.

The shocking silence was broken by a roar on the 17th green after Anirban Lahiri knocked in a birdie putt to pull within two of Smith, who faced a medium pitch shot for his par.

With momentum completely shifting, Smith pitched his fourth shot a few feet from the hole and made bogey to seal his win.

"Definitely I was trying to hit it probably 30 yards less of that. I just thought it was going to come out tumbling and just roll out on to the fairway. Yeah, but just kind of come out nice, and it was unfortunate, but held it together. And great up-and-down," Smith said. 

Credit: AP
Cameron Smith, of Australia, holds the trophy after winning The Players Championship golf tournament Monday, March 14, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The pitch on 18 was his most clutch shot, but Smith's best shot came on 17, even if he didn't intend for it to happen. 

Smith's tee shot danced a few feet to the right of the flagstick and flirting a little too close to the edge for Smith's liking.

"I'd be lying if I said I was aiming there. I was probably aiming 10 feet left of that. But still wanted to stay aggressive, still wanted to make birdie," Smith said. 

This year's trophy will be staying in Jacksonville. Smith, a resident, but Australia native, got emotional talking about his family after the win. 

RELATED: The PLAYERS Championship 2022

Smith hasn't seen some of his family in two years and said golf had taken a bit of a back seat the last few weeks.

"Yeah, probably see them typically twice a year. I'll go home in the middle of the year for a couple of weeks just for a little bit of a hangout, and then I'll go back down and play some golf in Australia and have a little bit of a hangout over Christmas, as well, typically. So I probably only spend six weeks at home. It was my mum and sister that had come over, yeah," Smith said. 

The 28-year-old becomes the fifth Australian to win the tournament. Anirban Lahiri finished in second (-12) and Paul Casey finished third (-11). 

Smith earned $3,600,000 with the win, it was his fifth PGA TOUR title and second of the season. 

 

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