Close but no cigar

Cameron Smith was born to working-class parents in Brisbane, but it was last November inside the gates at famed Augusta National that the Australian came of age. Smith, playing in just his fourth Masters, became the first player in the tournament’s storied history to shoot four rounds in the 60s, an accomplishment one might reasonably believe would be enough to land an appointment in the Butler Cabin for the slipping on of a Green Jacket. If not for Dustin Johnson and an historic performance of his own, one would have been correct.

One day, perhaps. Instead, the 27-year-old, whose 15-under total would have won all but seven of the 84 playings of the tournament, missed out on becoming just the second Aussie to win the Green Jacket after Adam Scott, who broke the curse in 2013. He settled for a tie for second, along with Sungjae Im, five strokes back of Johnson.

Still, there was little to be