One player who is laid back about the whole ‘weather and getting the right side of the draw thing’ is Queensland’s Cameron Smith.

The 23-year-old likes the prospect of playing in windy conditions should the forecasted gusting winds eventuate on Thursday afternoon. He’s out on course at 12.20pm (local time) alongside American Bill Haas and England’s Callum Shinkwin.

“Yeah I wouldn’t mind if it blows this week,” he smiled. “I think I can control the ball well and it will bring my short game into play. I can hit the ball low, which most of the Aussies can do, so if its windy it should work into our favour.”

RIGHT: Smith watches a drive during a practice round on Tuesday. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Smith has just spent the past six weeks off, during which time he returned to Australia and ramped up his preparation two weeks ago under the eye of coach Grant Field. He says he needed to recharge the batteries and has been making up for the lack of competition by playing competitive games in practice at Royal Birkdale.

One putting game required him to hole four putts from three-, six and nine-feet. The last four putts were all from the longest distance and all four points of the compass. When he missed one he had to go back one stop in the drill. It took him nearly an hour to work through the drill but it had the desired effect of putting him under “competitive” pressure. At one stage, he even had fellow Touring pro Billy Horschel willing him to make the final putt to complete the drill.

“It was just a competitive game I like playing to try and get back into the whole competitive feel,” Smith said. “I haven’t played competitively for a while so I’ve just been doing lots of competitive practice on and around the greens.”

Smith is making his Open Championship debut this week, having qualified through his runner-up finish at the Australian Open last year. He’s not a complete stranger to British links golf having played nearly a dozen events in the UK has an amateur.

Smith splashes out of a bunker beside the 18th green during his practice round. PHOTO: Getty Images.

While he may lack experience, he says Royal Birkdale doesn’t play like a lot of the links courses he has played and is more like the best courses on the Melbourne Sandbelt.

“I really like it. It’s very similar to the Aussies courses, particularly the Melbourne Sandbelt, more similar than a lot of other courses over here,” Smith told Golf Australia. “It has been pretty easy to adapt.

“Like the Sandbelt, you have to be careful of where you’re landing your ball heading up to the green. It’s just very firm and fast.

“Here, you’ve got to hit it straight off the tee because its not that wide and its pretty penal. You have to control your shots into the greens. Whoever can do that the best … I can’t see them being beaten.”

Smith is one of 11 Australians playing at Royal Birkdale this week, and one of two – Marc Leishman being the other – to have recorded a PGA Tour win this year.