The 28-year-old completed a shot forward of Anirban Lahiri at TPC Sawgrass, going residence with the winner’s examine of $3.6 million.
Smith carded a six-under 66 to complete 13-under for the event and declare his second title of the season and fifth of his profession.
When requested what he was going to do with such a lot of cash within the press convention afterwards, Smith hadn’t but made up his thoughts.
“I actually do not — I haven’t got a solution for that. It hasn’t sunk in,” he stated with a smile.
“That is some huge cash. I am undecided what I’ll do with it.”
The win held much more significance for Smith given who was throughout the crowd.
Amongst the followers watching Smith declare victory in Florida have been his mom and sister, who he stated he hadn’t seen in two-and-a-half years.
Smith, who lives in Florida, defined that “golf was second for these few weeks.”
“It is actually cool to have them right here. My major precedence actually was simply to hang around with them and golf was second for these few weeks.
“It is good to see them and good to get a win for them.”
The event — one of many PGA Tour’s marquee occasions — was severely delayed on account of inclement climate, with rain, darkness and lightning that means it needed to be completed on Monday slightly the standard Sunday ultimate day.
When play resumed early on Monday morning, all 71 gamers left within the area needed to full their third rounds.
And after a fast turnaround, Smith started his ultimate spherical strongly with an enormous 38-foot birdie putt on the primary gap.
He registered 5 birdies in his opening six holes, earlier than three consecutive bogeys from the seventh gap weakened his grip on the lead.
However, underneath large stress, Smith reestablished his lead with 4 straight birdies to start out the again 9, giving him a three-shot lead heading into the ultimate gap.
Lahiri birdied the seventeenth behind Smith to chop the result in two, whereas on the 18th, Smith hit his ball into the water because it regarded just like the title may be slipping away.
Nevertheless, he managed to salvage bogey, leaving Lahiri needing a birdie to power a playoff, however the Indian golfer may solely handle a par, cementing Smith’s victory.
The victory meant he turned the fifth Australian to win the well-known occasion, shifting Smith as much as sixth in golf’s world rankings.
“I felt as if certainly one of these massive ones was the subsequent step for me,” Smith stated. “I’ve knocked on the door just a few occasions and I simply felt prefer it was my time.
When requested about becoming a member of his countrymen in profitable the event, Smith stated: “Clearly, plenty of Australians have received right here, plenty of nice Australian golfers have received right here, however one of the best which have ever lived have received right here, as nicely.
“So it is fairly cool to have the title on the identical trophy as them.”
