Cam Smith full of praise for ‘composed’ Cam Smith

This is probably the hardest sports story I have ever had to write.

Not because it’s highly emotional or even sensitive, but because the two central figures of the story are both named Cameron Smith.

One is a champion rugby league player, the other a golfing superstar, and both hail from Brisbane.

“We’ve got a few things in common, we’re both Queenslanders, we’ve got the same names, we love beers and we love cars,” said the rugby league great before teaming up with his golfing namesake in the 2022 Australian PGA Championship pro-am at Royal Queensland on Wednesday.

Smith presented Smith with a Queensland Maroons State of Origin jumper with his name and number 9 emblazoned across the back.

“I just want to make sure I don’t duff it on the first tee,” he joked after the jumper presentation.

After admitting to not getting much sleep, Smith topped his opening drive of the day.

“I’m still shaking,” he quipped walking off the first green.

The Smiths first met in 2017 and have followed each other’s careers closely since.

Smith is a member at The Grand — a private golf club on the Gold Coast — along with another rugby league legend, Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin, and plays off a 16 handicap.

“I’ve loved golf since I was a little kid. I still remember going out with my dad early mornings following him around,” he told BettingSite.com.au.

“By about the 12th hole I’d jump on the back of his buggy and he’d pull me the rest of the way.

“I never had any aspirations to be a professional golfer, I just wanted to play with my dad and my mates.”

Smith has been in many pressure situations on the rugby league field, and despite his competitive nature, he’d much rather take a sideline conversion to win an Origin game than face a five-metre curling putt like his fellow Queenslander did to win the Open Championship earlier this year.

“Even when you play socially you have a wager with your mates and you got a short putt on the last to win, you feel the pressure even then,” the former Melbourne Storm star said.

“Imagine the pressure of putting for a major.

“It’s really impressive to see what Cam (the golfer) has been able to do over the past 12 months.

“I had the opportunity to meet him for the first time back in 2017 when I was in the middle of a State of Origin camp.

“Since that day I first met I’ve watched him fairly closely.

“He is so calm and composed and when those big moments come up, he is able to make the big play.”

Smith said the pair both had deep roots in Queensland.

“Like State of Origin, when things get a bit tough, you dig deep and find a way to come up with the goods,” he said.

“But for everything he has achieved in the past 12 months, he still seems a very down-to-earth decent man.”

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