The black tie function held in Sydney celebrated Australian performance around the world, and the first awarding of the Win Well award which takes into account the “importance of balancing sporting success with high performance cultures that are safe, fair and supportive”. A concept that was considered for all the award winners including Smith.

The 29-year-old’s role as one of the most popular players in world golf and a mentor to younger players was part of his award that goes alongside his recent Greg Norman Medal and six tournament wins for 2022 that include The Open Championship and Australian PGA.

“Our judges also considered behaviours of sportsmanship, fair play, respect and integrity, broader contributions such as role modelling and leadership, and achievements beyond the sporting arena, like community involvement, academic and vocational achievements,” Australian Sports Commission CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said.

“It’s important to recognise and reward these qualities in our successful athletes.”

After his busy recent run, including a fortnight as the star of the show at the Australian PGA and Open, Smith wasn’t on hand to receive the award, which was collected by Golf Australia High Performance Director Tony Meyer.