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Masters runner-up Cameron Smith has crowned his stellar 2020 season by being awarded the Greg Norman Medal as Australia's best-performing golfer of the year.
Cameron Smith was left "speechless" after crowning his stellar 2020 season by being awarded the Greg Norman Medal as Australia's best-performing golfer of the year.
Smith edged out his Presidents Cup teammate Adam Scott and women's ace Minjee Lee for the honour on Wednesday night.
The 27-year-old added his name to the honour roll after enjoying a breakout season, highlighted by a historic Masters performance.
Smith became the first player ever to post four sub-70 rounds at Augusta National in finishing runner-up to unstoppable world No.1 Dustin Johnson.
His folklore rounds of 67-68-69-69 came in a season in which Smith notched seven top-20 results, four top-10s and won the year-opening Hawaiian Open.
"That's awesome," Smith said after receiving the call from Norman revealing he'd won the award named in honour of Australia's former world No.1 and two-time major winner.
"I'm speechless."
Norman told Smith he was a clear-cut winner in his eyes.
"I've been a huge fan of yours. I watch just about every tournament you play," Norman said.
"I just love your tenacity on the golf course. You know the game of golf is more than just power.
"But your consistency has been unbelievable and your performance obviously at the Masters was a big shining light for everybody.
"To shoot the scores you did was really, really impressive and it wasn't too hard a decision for me to give the nod to you."
Scott and Lee were worthy finalists.
Like Smith, the resurgent Scott also won his first event of 2020, the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles, to regain his place in the world's top 10.
It was Scott's only top-10 finish of a pandemic-enforced shortened year, leaving Smith well fancied to join two-time recipient Jason Day, Marc Leishman, Lee and 2019 medallist Hannah Green on the honour roll.
Lee was again super consistent in 2020, retaining her spot in the women's top 10 with nine top-20 showings, five top-10s and an impressive third at the British Open at Royal Troon.
But Smith's unprecedented display of successive low scoring at Augusta gave the Queenslander the nod.
Smith will get the chance to go one better at the Masters next month, with the season's first major getting under way on April 8.
PGA 2020 National award winners:
Club Professional of the year: Joanne Bannerman (Head Pro, Cumberland Country Club - NSW)
Coach of the year: Ritchie Smith (Teaching Pro, Royal Fremantle - WA)
Game Development Professional of the year: Mark Tibbles (Teaching Pro, The Vines Resort Country Club - WA)
Management Professional of the year: Josh Madden (General Manager Wembley Golf Course - WA)
Trainee of the year: Darcy Boyd (Kiama - NSW)
