Cameron Smith Brazenly Scoffs at $15 Million FedEx Cup Prize: ‘I’m Pretty Set, to Be Honest’
Australian PGA Tour star Cameron Smith ranks third in the FedEx Cup standings. He is positioning himself well to make a run at the $15 million prize as the next leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs kicks off this week at the BMW Championship. He also couldn’t care less about the money.
Smith is far from the wealthiest player on the PGA Tour. He has yet to win a major and has just three career wins on his resume. Winning the FedEx Cup would push Smith into another stratosphere, at least financially.
Yet, the Australian isn’t concerned about monetary gains. He feels he is pretty well off on that front.
Cameron Smith isn’t overly invested in the $15 million FedEx Cup purse
Cameron Smith has no clue what he would do with the $15 million he stands to gain if he wins the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
A reporter asked the 28-year-old earlier this week whether he had anything in mind regarding investment or desires. Smith had a humorous response.
“I don’t know, I’m pretty set, to be honest. I’m good. I’m good with what I’ve got. I don’t know what I’d do, to be honest. Maybe some more fishing equipment
-Cam Smith, via Dylan Dethier of GOlf Magazine
Interestingly, Smith has barely eclipsed the $15 million mark in career earnings. Entering this week’s BMW Championship, his total winnings come to nearly $16.9 million, with Smith making over $5.8 million of that total in 2021 alone.
That’s all to say that the $15 million FedEx Cup purse would be quite substantial to Smith in particular. But his nonchalance about the money sort of epitomizes the general lack of excitement surrounding the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
The PGA Tour has tried for years to market the FedEx Cup as a fifth major of sorts. But the season-long competition doesn’t have the same kind of luster as the major championships.
Smith can gain ground at the BMW Championship
The 2021 PGA Tour schedule is entering the final stages. Just two tournaments remain.
Tony Finau sits atop the FedEx Cup standings after winning the Northern Trust Open. The man Finau beat in a Monday playoff? Cameron Smith.
Smith fired a course-record 60 on Saturday, then fired a 67 on Monday after making birdie on four of the last seven holes. He looked to have all the momentum heading into the playoff hole with Finau. However, Smith promptly fired his tee shot out of bounds. Finau made a simple par to win the tournament.
Having squandered his chances at Liberty National, Smith will look for redemption this week at the BMW Championship. The tournament is taking place at Caves Valley this year, so there is a general lack of familiarity with the course.
Can Smith get his second win of 2021 and jump Finau in the FedEx Cup standings. He’ll have his work cut out for him in what is a crowded field.
Who will win the FedEx Cup?
Finau and Smith are hardly the only two jockeying for position at Caves Valley. Numerous golfers will likely be hoping to improve their standing as the PGA Tour schedule wraps with the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup Playoffs next week at East Lake.
British Open champion Collin Morikawa finds himself near the top of the FedEx Cup standings. Former PGA champion Justin Thomas is fifth in the standings, and Jordan Spieth is in seventh.
However, reigning U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm might be in the best shape. Rahm is second in the standings. He has 13 top-10 finishes this season, which is the most of any player on Tour.
Tony Finau and Cameron Smith are among those who have played terrific golf all season. But Rahm might be hungry to win the FedEx Cup after narrowly missing out to Dustin Johnson last year.
Stats and FedEx Cup standings courtesy of PGATour.com.
