The jungle drums, foretelling the arrival of Australia’s next wave of world-beaters, are getting louder now Cameron Davis has broken through to win the Emirates Australian Open.
Having won the Australian Amateur in 2015 and also playing a pivotal role in Australia winning the World Amateur Teams Championship last year, the plaudits for Davis were going viral … like the video of him swinging as competently left-handed as he does right-handed.
For those familiar with his work ethic, demeanor and talent, success after turning professional 13 months ago was only a matter of time.
That time has arrived.
The 22-year-old now has his name etched into the Stonehaven Cup alongside the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and defending champion Jordan Spieth. It was enough to numb Davis’ senses.
“It’s a little bit numb at the moment,” Davis smiled. “I just didn’t expect to be in this situation, even though I had a great round.
RIGHT: Cameron Davis pumps his fist as his birdie putt at the 18th hole finds the bottom of the cup. PHOTO: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images.
“I just didn’t think I was going to be far enough up the leaderboard, but to finish my round and see where everyone was at, I was kind of surprised.”
Davis fired a final round seven under 64 to storm to the top of the leaderboard on an afternoon when the scoring average for the field was almost one over par. Only Jordan Spieth's 63 to win the 2014 Australian Open is a lower winning final round score in the history of the Championship.
Overnight leader and World No.12 Jason Day birdied his opening hole to reach -11 and appeared the most likely to raise the Stonehaven Cup at day’s end. But he and playing partner, Lucas Herbert, struggled in the windy conditions over the following four hours and carded a pair of 73s to miss a spot on the podium.
Davis, on the other hand, reveled.
Some expected him to fade into oblivion after opening his Championship campaign with an eight under 63. When he backed up with rounds of 72-74, that observation appeared vindicated.
But Davis was to prove them wrong, very wrong.
Starting the final round seven strokes behind Day, Davis birdied three of his first five holes to creep ever closer to the leaders. He made the clubhouse turn in 32 strokes and grabbed another birdie at the par-4 10th to reach eight under.
His round received a significant boost on the par-4 12th when he holed his second shot approach from 75 metres to surge to 10 under, just as Day and Herbert were stumbling on the latter stages of the front nine.
Davis birdied the easy par-5 14th but handed that shot back at the par-4 16th hole when he tugged his approach shot into a greenside bunker and was unable to get up-and-down. Unperturbed, he parred the 17th and rolled in a 12-footer for a closing birdie at the 18th hole to set the clubhouse mark at 11 under and waited to see if it was enough.
With five groups still on the course, Davis and caddie Andrew Tschudin, an experienced ex-Tour player, adjourned to the practice tee to hit some balls full expecting there would a play-off.
“I was just trying to stay loose,” Davis said. “When I heard that they (Jonas Blixt and Matt Jones) still had putts to tie it up, I just got my driver out and started getting ready to go. I was still hitting it well, so I was just trying to focus on my own game.
“If they said, ‘right, you’re going down play-off holes’, I was ready. I was ready for that.
“I was not prepared to be told I’d won. I was just doing my own thing, and then someone came over and told me that it was all over, I didn’t really know what to say, it was just a bit of a shock really.”
Nearly 45 minutes later he still appeared stunned when introduced to the waiting media as the Australian Open Champion, something he dreamed of while growing up learning the game at Monash Country Club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
“I’ve seen everything on TV, seen guys win this tournament,” he said as he checked out the names on the trophy. “But you never think you’re going to be there. You want to be there, but you’ve got no idea what the road is going to be like to get there.
“It’s always been a dream to win a big tournament, but I had no idea how it was going to come about and for this to be it, I’m just so happy, I’m so glad it’s worked out the way it has.”
Davis will now take his good form and the financial security of a $225,000 winner’s cheque to the PGA Tour’s Web.Com final stage Tour School starting in Arizona on December 7.
“I feel like I’m playing well obviously at the moment, so I’m feeling pretty good going into final stage, but it’s a whole different week, whole different golf course,” he said.
If I can follow in Spieth’s footsteps, I’d be pretty happy,” Davis laughed, flashing the smile that could sell toothpaste to dentists.
“We’ve got to go back to work, start mapping the golf courses, get there early, just treat it like another week and you’ve got to start from scratch again.
“I’m going to try my best to come down from the excitement I’ve obviously got after winning this and then it’s another big week that we’ve got to get on top of.
“Regardless of how that goes, I’m really happy. It wasn’t the best year up until this point, I played in Canada, I didn’t go that great, but to finish the way I have so far, I mean, regardless of how I go in the next couple of weeks, it’s been a pretty successful year.”
And regardless of what transpires in Arizona, he will be in Scotland come July to compete in his first major – The Open Championship at Carnoustie. Blixt and Jones, who shared second place one stroke behind Davis, will join him.
“It’s my first Major so, I’ve got no idea what to expect … If I can follow in Spieth’s footsteps, I’d be pretty happy,” Davis laughed, flashing the smile that could sell toothpaste to dentists.
“That’s going to be pretty tough to do, but I’m going to give it my best shot now that I’ve actually got the opportunity to go and play in it. I’m not going to go out there and just be happy I’m there.
“I’m going to give it my best and try and play my best golf and see where it puts me against the best players in the world. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do, so I’m just going to try and it grab it with both hands and make the most of it.”
The drums are beating world. Cameron Davis is on his way.
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