Two Australian amateur golfers will be among the spectators at the 2023 US Open as guests of Open champion Cameron Smith after winning his annual scholarship.
Both Jeffrey Guan, 18, and 17-year-old Joseph Buttress have been flown over to Los Angeles Country Club from Australia and have spent time watching how Smith prepares for a Major before then watching the US Open live in person.
Created in 2016, now LIV Golf star Smith annually flies two winners of his scholarship program over to the USA to get behind the scenes access to life at the very top of pro golf.
The trip of a lifetime sees the two teenagers get golfing lessons from Smith at his home in Florida, as well as workout advice along with playing rounds with the Australian.
The pair were then flown across the United States on a private jet to attend the US Open, where they got to watch Smith face the media ahead of his bid for a second Major.
“It’s been so cool to watch how dedicated Cam is to his game. From the gym sessions to practice, it’s easy to see why he’s one of the best in the world,” Buttress said to Australian Golf Digest.
Guan added: “It’s pretty inspiring and reminds us we have so much to work on. Cam is so world-class in every area of his game.”
The pair of aspiring golfers picked some week to get under the skin of life as a modern-day pro, as they touched down in the USA just as the seismic PGA Tour deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund was revealed.
After playing golf with Smith in the Jacksonville area, the pair also walked seven holes with the 29-year-old during his practice for the US Open on Tuesday.
Buttress is a rising star from Western Australia, while Guan claimed the Junior Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass just six months after Smith won the senior version - the PGA Tour's flagship event.
By now getting a close-up glimpse of what life is like in the pro game - dealing with LIV Golf, mergers and all the questions that come with such changes in golf - will be an eye-opening experience for the young Australians.
They're certainly two names worth watching out for in the future to see if this extra help from Smith will help them to make it in the pros.
