Cameron Smith’s father opens up about their VERY emotional phone call after British Open triumph 

Cameron Smith’s dad opens up about their VERY emotional phone call after he missed his son’s historic British Open triumph – and reveals the cheeky Aussie way he’s going to celebrate

  • Des Smith was instrumental in his son taking up golf as soon as he could walk 
  • He didn’t make it to St Andrews to see Cameron’s record-braking Open win 
  • Said the two were reunited over the phone soon after Cam lifted Claret Jug 

Cam Smith’s dad didn’t get to St Andrews to see his son make history with a British Open win for the ages because he didn’t want to travel so far from his Queensland home – but the pair wasted little time having a very emotional reunion afterwards.

The 28-year-old Queenslander revealed none of his family were there as he lifted the Claret Jug after breaking the record for the lowest score ever shot at St Andrews, and said of father Des, ‘I really wish he was here, too … Dad loves his golf as well. It would have been awesome.’

Des – who plays off scratch and was instrumental in Cam taking up the sport as a toddler – revealed he was overcome when he spoke to his son soon after he claimed golf’s oldest and most prestigious title.

Smith’s father Des said he ‘started getting really excited’ when Cam made five birdies on the back nine as he stormed to a comeback victory in golf’s most prestigious tournament 

The new champion - pictured posing with the Claret Jug on the 18th green - wished his dad was there to see him make history with the lowest score over four rounds at St Andrews

The new champion – pictured posing with the Claret Jug on the 18th green – wished his dad was there to see him make history with the lowest score over four rounds at St Andrews

‘I was bawling my eyes out speaking to him. I’m so proud of him. All the hard work he’s done has paid off,’ he told Australian Golf Digest.

‘Nothing surprises me anymore. He is so talented and has put so much hard work in.’ 

Asked if he’d managed to have a celebratory beer – even though it was 5am in Brisbane when Cam triumphed – Des added, ‘She’s early at the moment, but I might have a few XXXX Golds later in the day.’

Watching his son turn in one of the greatest back nines ever as he stormed back from four strokes down to win the Open left Smith senior awestruck.

‘When he’s made those five birdies in a row, that’s when I really started getting really excited,’ he told the Today show on Monday morning.

‘I was going, “Oh god, it’s game on here” and then when he missed the green on 17 it was another emotional rollercoaster.

‘I had a chat with him for a couple of minutes before I broke down. He was having a dig at me for pulling out and not going (to the Open). I’ll get that for a couple of months.’

Family is a huge focus for Smith, who withdrew from a tournament in the USA earlier this year to spend more time with his mum Sharon (centre) and sister Mel (right)

Family is a huge focus for Smith, who withdrew from a tournament in the USA earlier this year to spend more time with his mum Sharon (centre) and sister Mel (right)

He said Cam had worked on his fitness and his driving for the last 18 months and the results were there for all to see at St Andrews.

Asked about whether he was ‘crying into his Weet-Bix’ when his son won, he cheekily replied: ‘There’s nothing 12 schooners and a bit of a sleep won’t fix.’

Des cut down a set of clubs so his son could use them when he first took up the game and made him a custom cart so he could tow his own gear around the course. 

‘We knew right from an early age he was special,’ he told Ben Fordham on Sydney radio station 2GB. 

‘He started playing as soon as he could walk, really, because I was a crazy golfer.’

Asked when his son first beat him on the course, Des replied, ‘He beat me when he was 12,’ before explaining he won’t be able to see Cam until November ‘unless I go over for the FedEx Cup playoffs’, which will be held from August 11 in the USA. 

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