Smith dedicates Sony Open victory to fellow Australians

Cameron Smith made a birdie on the 18th hole to force a play-off on the Sony OpenSony Open final rankings-11: C Smith (Aus) *, B Steele; -10: W Simpson; -9: R Palmer, K Kisner, G McDowell (NI) * Indicates playoff winner

The Australian Cameron Smith claimed the Sony Open of the PGA Tour and said he hoped his playoff victory would be people in country would allow to "smile" for a moment or two "during the bushfire crisis.

Smith, 26, won the first play-off hole at Waaiae Country Club in Hawaii to the American Brendan Steele

Smith & # 39; s Uncle Warren has lost his home in the forest fires in Australia.

"Australia is currently struggling and the focus is probably not on my wave, to get a Good reason, "said Smith.

" But hopefully it gave some people reason to smile.

"Uncle Warren recently drove back to his place and what he found was pretty devastating. I saw the pictures and all he had left was a shed that he and his son a few months ago

"We are a close-knit family and it hit everyone pretty hard. It is good to do something good and hopefully put a smile on their faces. "

Smith fired a two-under-par 68 – including a crucial birdie-putt in the final hole – to share the 11-under mark for the Steele tournament.

On the first play-off hole, Steele, who had led the entire day, was headstrongly off the tee, giving Smith the chance to win two points for par and victory.

The Australian had never before only won a PGA Tour event, because he had previously only shared a win with Jonas Blixt in Sweden in the team zone play format at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2017.

Smith and a large number of other golfers on the event donated part of their prize money to aid for the Australian fires.

At least 28 p eople were killed by the fires and 15.6 million hectares of shrub, forest and parks throughout Australia were burned.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Branden Grace shot in South Africa a final day 62 to refuse countryman Louis Oosthuizen back-victories in the South African Open in Johannesburg.