Cameron Smith may be copping some heat about LIV Golf, but the Aussie has enhanced his fan base with a stunning gesture after an errant tee shot in Memphis last week.
Standing in the gallery down the seventh fairway during the third round of last week’s St Jude Classic, golf fan Blake Jaros was in the way of an errant Smith drive.
Jaros was unable to avoid the tee shot from the British Open champion that smashed into his thumb and also smashed his phone screen.
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Professional golfers are always quick to offer a signed glove in instances of hitting fans, which Smith did.
But the Australian world No.2, who had copped it from some sections of the crowd amid a reported $140m move to Greg Norman’s LIV Golf tour, went a step further.
Smith took Jaros’ details and promised to buy him a new phone, which he did, with a new iPhone 13, an upgrade from his existing model, arriving at his home in Memphis days after the event.
“He smoked my thumb and phone with his drive on 7. Walked over shook my hand, signed his glove for me, wrote down my cell # in his yardage book and ordered me a new phone. Unreal moment,” Jaros posted on Twitter with a pic of the signed glove and his new phone.
Speaking to the Golf Channel after his phone arrived, Jaros said he “couldn’t be more grateful”.
“Thumb is fine now, just a bruised nail,” he said.
Smith on Tuesday withdrew from this week’s BMW Championship, the second event in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, citing a hip injury. But the 28-year-old remains hopeful of still taking his place in the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta next week.
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