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Cameron Smith is hitting the sweet spot of his game right in time for a Masters sneak attack.
Cameron Smith can't help but produce a wry smile with the Masters being held in November this year.
Smith, for one reason or another, has long been at his peak as the calendar year starts to close and a new year begins, making this week's COVID-19 postponed Masters date one he can get behind.
Nearly 40 per cent of Smith's PGA Tour top-10 finishes have come in the months of October and November, while he has also been prolific in the last few years during the Australian summer events.
"A fresh start to a new season, a fresh mindset, it obviously works for me," he said from Augusta National.
"I feel energised when everyone starts the race at the same score and you need to play well to keep pace.
"So that time of year I'm energised to get things off and running,."
After winning the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, Smith's form trailed off and he failed to record another top-10 pre- or post-pandemic break, ultimately finishing 24th in the season-long FedExCup.
But, staying true to form, his four starts in the new 2020-21 season have trended upwards.
Smith has been under par in 11 of his last 12 PGA Tour rounds and finished 11th at the CJ Cup in Las Vegas and fourth in the ZOZO Championship in Los Angeles.
"I've been playing some pretty decent golf lately and I feel like while it has been a lot of golf, it's been decent the last few months," Smith said.
"It was nice to get the results in Las Vegas and Los Angeles in particularly as everything came together for the week. That top-10 leading into this week reinforces the confidence I was building."
Smith is quietly confident he can contend despite the pre-tournament talk being focused on the long hitters.
In 2018 Smith blitzed home with six birdies during a back nine 30 that could have easily been lower to finish fifth.
"I've shown I can go low and it is nice to know I have that in the back pocket to lean on if I need to this year or in years to come," he said.
"It doesn't really matter what your game is suited to, if you hit great shots you'll get rewarded and have a chance to win."
