Cam Smith’s Incredible Par Save from the Water at the PGA Championship

Cam Smith is no stranger to getting himself in some sticky situations out on the golf course. He is also no stranger to getting out of them.

His first round at the PGA Championship was no different.

On the Par 5 7th hole at Valhalla Golf Club, Smith found his tee shot in the shallow water that lies inbetween the two fairways players have to choose from. He was confronted with a decision: take an unplayable and a one-shot penalty, or play it out of the water.

Smith chose the latter. Shoeless and sockless, Smith rolled up his pants and entered the water, pitching out from the gently-flowing creek and leaving himself a reasonable, 225-yard iron shot into the green:

Cam Smith made par from here …#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/BY5ZFCiH45

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2024

Incredibly, Smith would get up and down after airmailing the green on his approach shot. It would be arguably the best par save of the tournament thus far, helping him maintain a -1 front nine. 

Smith fired a -3 68 in his first round, which is good enough for T9 at around 3 p.m. EDT on Thursday. Currently, he shares ninth with Adam Hadwin, Martin Kaymer, Viktor Hovland, Max Homa, Kurt Kitayama, Bryson DeChambeau, Dean Burmester.

Cover Image via PGA Championship