Defending Champ Cam Smith Spotted Playing One Mile From TPC Sawgrass on Thursday

Turns out, Cameron Smith played at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday after all.

According to Golfweek, the defending champion of The Players Championship took part in a round at The Yards, a public, nine-hole course that’s part of the TPC Sawgrass neighborhood at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

One golfer who spoke with Smith during his visit told Golfweek:

“He looked great. You can tell in his eyes he’s a quality young man. Extremely cordial and personable.”

Staff on the course also confirmed to the website that Smith played at The Yards.

Today was the first round of the Players and the defending champ, Cameron Smith, spent the morning exactly 1.1 miles away from TPC Sawgrass at a public course called The Yards, where he played with buddies. Paid his greens fee and everything! What a bizarre time in the golf world

— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) March 10, 2023

Smith, who lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, was barred from playing in The Players Championship and any other PGA Tour event after he joined LIV Golf following the conclusion of the 2022 FedEx Cup playoffs.

Smith even had his parking space at TPC Sawgrass removed last year.

Earlier this week, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan admitted that it was “awkward” not having the defending champion of such a prestigious event taking part in it. “But you know, that’s ultimately a decision he made,” Monahan surmised.

Meanwhile, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass continues to do its thing. We saw Nick Watney lose his mind on the famous Island Green 17^th hole on Thursday.

For Hayden Buckley, it was the opposite experience.

Everyone is barely awake and Hayden Buckley is getting buckets on 17 @THEPLAYERSChamp pic.twitter.com/XJECOs5pQC

— Big Drive Energy (@BigDriveEnergy) March 9, 2023

Among the storylines to watch on Friday at The Players will be whether Rory McIlroy can recover from his first-round 76 to make the cut for the weekend.

Cover Image Via Twitter