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AAP
AAP
Steve Larkin

Aussie golf great Smith won't live as large at LIV

Cameron Smith was the centre of attention on and off the course at 2023's LIV Golf in Adelaide. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

Cameron Smith says he lived a little too large in Adelaide last year.

The poster boy of LIV Golf's South Australian tournament admits he over-indulged in the local hospitality.

By the time he teed off, Smith felt spent.

And it's a mistake, he says, he won't make again in the second Australian edition of LIV Golf starting Friday at The Grange.

"We learnt a lot," Smith said on Tuesday.

"Particularly in the preparation of last year, we were pretty busy and we were probably pretty drained by the time the tournament started.

"We learned a lot from that and a lot of prep has gone into making sure we have no excuses this year, and we can try and lift that team trophy at the end of the week.

"That has definitely been the goal since the start of the year - this is our big one.

"We want to try and get that done for all the fans here in Adelaide."

Crowds at The Grange for LIV Golf 2023.
Crowds flooded to The Grange for last year's event. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

Smith was tied for third last year but was never really in the hunt behind runaway winner Talor Gooch, while his all Australian Ripper GC team finished eighth of 12.

The Ripper results rankles Smith's teammate Marc Leishman.

'We're here for a few reasons - we want to entertain the crowd but we want to have a really good week," Leishman said on Tuesday. 

"We learnt a lot from last year, like Cam said - with time management and that sort of thing.

"We got into town a day earlier this year, just so it wasn't as hectic before the tournament.

"We were pretty tired before the tournament last year and I know we'll be better for the better preparation this year."

Talor Gooch preps a shoey at The Grange.
Talor Gooch prepares a 'shoey' after winning LIV's 2023 event in Adelaide. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

For Smith, that means curtailing his nocturnal activities - which last year included skolling a beer from a shoe at DJ Fisher's post-play on-course party.

"That's one of the things I took away from last year. I'm probably not going to do that as much," Smith said.

"I'll be at the concert for sure, he's a great act and he's awesome to listen to. But I don't know if I'll be as involved as last year."

For Leishman, it means himself, Smith, Matt Jones and Lucas Herbert harnessing the home-crowd buzz without being overwhelmed.

"This golf tournament is a template for the rest of the golf tournaments, to put on such a great show," he said.

"As a golfer it's pretty rare to have the support and the feeling around town.

"The buzz is (always) at the golf course, but when we play this event the buzz is around the city.

"We're really excited to be back ... we have been waiting for this for 360 days."

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