Cameron Smith's putting masterclass at St Andrews was joy to behold

Drive for show and putt for dough. In Cameron Smith’s case, $2.5 million, which was his prize for landing a maiden major win in the 150th Open at St Andrews on Sunday.

Having already picked up $3.6 million for his success in The Players Championship earlier in March, the 28-year-old Australian has earned rich rewards this year for being one of the best putters in the game.

As he delivered his telling thrust in the final round on the Old Course with a burst of five straight birdies, Smith holed from five feet at the tenth, 16 feet on 11, 11 feet at the 12th, 18 feet on 13 then one from close range at the par-5 14th.

The latter of those opportunities was set up by a brilliant pace putt from through the back of the green and the new world No 2 displayed his silky touch twice more over the closing stretch.

Cameron Smith holds the Claret Jug after winning the 150th Open at St Andrews. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Managing to keep a clear head, it was one of the best shots of the week as he putted close to the edge of the Road Hole bunker to set up his par save from 10 feet at the penultimate hole.

He then judged both pace and line perfectly to leave himself a two-footer to claim his victory in the Claret Jug joust with a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 after playing partner Cameron Young had signed off in style with an eagle.

“I felt as though I hit really good putts all day,” said the new Champion Golfer of the Year and fifth Australian to hold that title after Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Greg Norman and Ian Baker-Finch. “I really didn't have a lot of close opportunities, I think, on the front nine. I just kind of stuck in there, kept hitting really good lag putts.

“The putt on 11 was a pretty good distance, probably 20 feet. When that one dropped, yeah, I could see the hole getting a lot bigger on that back nine for sure.”

Cameron Smith hands his trusty putter to caddie Sam Pinfold during the final round on Sunday. Picture: Tom Russo

He admitted that it had been nice to make 4 from that awkward spot at the 17th. “I was just trying to get it inside 15 feet and the putter felt really good all day. I knew, if I could get it somewhere in there, that I'd be able to give it a pretty good run. Yeah, managed to get away with a 4 there.”

In Friday’s second round, when he also shot a 64, Smith made an incredible 255-feet of putts 64 footer for an eagle on the 14th hole. The official PGA Tour record is just over 240 feet.

“I definitely keep on top of it,” said Smith of that part of his game. “I think, for me luckily, putting comes quite naturally. For me it's just about getting back to the same setup position, basically.

“I practise with a mirror for probably 20 minutes a day, and to be honest, that's about it. I don't really hit a lot of long putts at home. I try and focus probably 10 to 15 foot and in and just seeing those putts drop.

“When I get out here at the start of the week, I start hitting some more lag putts and just getting the speed right.”

The Brisbane boy, now a three-time winner this year, smiled when he was asked to describe the differences and similarities between TPC Sawgrass, where he landed The Players, and the Old Course.

“No, I can't, to be honest,” he replied. “There's not a lot of similarities. I think they're two really different golf courses and I think you have to be two completely different golfers to contend at both of those golf courses.”

So what does that say about his game? “I think that's just where I'm at at the moment,” he added. “My game feels really good. I felt like, towards the end of last year, I had a lot of chances and really didn't get over the line. I think that made me more eager, I guess, at the start of the year to really knuckle down and try and get over the line.

“For it to happen three times this year is pretty unreal. I really wasn't expecting that. I would have been happy with one. So, yeah, just lots of hard work and keeping at it.”

Smith, who, like Collin Morikawa for his win 12 months earlier, said he’d definitely benefited from playing in the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club the previous week, held the halfway lead before a third-round 73 left him trailing both Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland by four shots heading into the final circuit.

“I was really frustrated yesterday with how the round went,” he said of his Saturday score. “I just really put it down to links golf. I think you really have those days on these courses where you get a bit of a weird bounce here and there and puts you in a bad spot.

So I shrugged it off pretty good. I really didn't dwell on it too much. I just went out there (in the final round) and really stuck my head down and tried keep making birdies and keep making putts.

“I don't think I hit the ball any differently all four days, to be honest. I felt like I kept hitting quality golf shots and kept giving myself looks at birdie, even from a distance, which is sometimes what you have to do around here.

“The only difference (on Sunday) was the putts were dropping. I spent a little bit of time on the green on Saturday night and just really wanted to see a few putts go in. Yeah, it turned out it was a pretty good thing to do.”