(Reuters) – Australia’s Cameron Smith is hoping a tweak to his driver will bring more accuracy off the tee and help his bid for a maiden major title at the U.S. Open this week.
Though boasting a stellar short game and iron play, world number six Smith has struggled to hit fairways this season, with his driving accuracy percentage outside the top 150 on the U.S. Tour.
Smith, who finished outside the top 40 at the recent Canadian Open, said he had taken a half-inch off the shaft and adjusted the head weight of his Titleist driver, and was happy with the results on the practice range.
“It feels good. I think the last couple of weeks the driver got me into a little bit of trouble,” the 28-year-old told reporters.
“I just get a little bit — that first move away from the ball for me is really key.
“I find it hard with the driver to kind of stay in control of that first sequence of the swing.
“I just hit a few balls on the range today, I felt like I could find the swing, I guess, a little bit more and that’s just what we need.”
After claiming the biggest win of his career earlier this year at the Players Championship, Smith finished joint third at the Masters and tied for 13th at the PGA Championship.
He may need his driver firing to make a major breakthrough at the Country Club at Brookline, Massachusetts, which has thin fairways and thick rough.
However, the small greens may play into Smith’s hands on the longer holes.
“I feel like I’ve had a little bit of success in U.S. Opens before and this is a really good venue for me,” said Smith, whose best result at the tournament was joint fourth in 2015 at the Chambers Bay course in Washington state.
“It’s probably my favourite U.S. Open venue I think I’ve been to. Lots of options off the tee. Just a real typical old-school course. I love it.”
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
