Cameron Smith: Open Champion, Australian Star, and a Complicated Presidents Cup Question

Pre-event outlook, preserved for reference. The Medinah analysis below was written before the September 2026 competition. The United States subsequently won 17–13. See the final result and confirmed teams.

Cameron Smith's 2022 Open Championship victory at St Andrews remains one of the great modern Australian major wins. He closed with 64, finished at 20-under 268, and beat Cameron Young by one shot at the 150th Open Championship.

Earlier in 2022, Smith won THE PLAYERS by one stroke over Anirban Lahiri. Together, the two victories showed his scoring ability against elite fields on very different courses: the positional demands of TPC Sawgrass and the links challenges of St Andrews.

The St Andrews Breakthrough

Smith began the final round four shots behind and produced one of the best closing rounds ever by an Open champion at the Old Course. PGA TOUR final-round notes recorded his five straight birdies from Nos. 10-14 and his 6-under 30 on the back nine.

That stretch turned a tournament many expected Rory McIlroy or Cameron Young to win into Smith's defining major moment. It also made Smith the first Australian winner of The Open since Greg Norman in 1993.

Why His Game Fits Match Play

Smith's short game and putting remain the foundation of his Presidents Cup appeal. In match play, a player who can save halves from poor positions and convert mid-range chances can frustrate stronger ball-strikers.

That profile made him a valuable International Team option before his move to LIV Golf. His Australian identity, major pedigree, and comfort in pressure moments all fit the International Team's needs.

The LIV Golf Complication

Smith was ineligible for the 2026 Presidents Cup while competing on LIV Golf. The PGA TOUR's 2026 Player Handbook requires both automatic qualifiers and captain's picks to be eligible for PGA TOUR-sanctioned competitions. Golf Channel's 2026 competition guide confirms that LIV golfers could neither qualify nor receive a captain's pick.

Smith's Ripper GC team won the 2024 LIV Golf Team Championship. That was a real team achievement, but it did not restore his Presidents Cup eligibility or make him available for Medinah.

Presidents Cup Outlook

Any future Presidents Cup return would first require Smith to regain eligibility under the rules for that edition. If he became eligible again, his putting, major-winning experience and previous International Team appearances would provide evidence for a captain to assess alongside his current form.

Smith's St Andrews victory demonstrated his ability to produce a low round on a major Sunday. His Players Championship win added another elite-field title. His move to LIV changed the events in which he competed and the selection framework relevant to a return to Presidents Cup golf.

What to Watch Next

Major championships and other strong-field events provide opportunities to assess Smith's current scoring against players on different tours. For a team captain, those results can show whether his putting and short game are supported by the driving and approach control needed across several formats.

Smith's major-winning record remains part of Australian golf history, but he was outside the eligible player pool for Medinah in 2026.

Smith’s putting and short game are his main match-play strengths.

His success at St Andrews showed how quickly a run of converted chances can change a tournament. In team golf, a similar run can put pressure on an opposing pairing, particularly when a partner is also creating birdie opportunities.

In four-ball, a strong putter can change a hole even when his partner has already found trouble. Alternate shot presents a different challenge: the approach player must consider the putting distance and green position he leaves for his teammate. Those demands explain why short-game ability and a compatible partner both matter when evaluating Smith's team-golf strengths.