Cameron Smith entrusts mullet cut to teammate Marc Leishman
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Marc Leishman & Cameron Smith’s Round 1 highlights from Zurich Classic
The all-Australian pairing of Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman could have been over before it began at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans after Smith let his partner trim his infamous mullet on tournament eve.
Staying together in a house near TPC Louisiana, Smith was about to head out to a local barber for a tidy up on Wednesday until his mate stepped up.
“I said I needed to get a cut and I was going to go get one yesterday afternoon. Leish said, I can do it, I cut my boys' hair at home. So I put faith in him, and I think he did a pretty good job,” Smith said after the pair opened with an impressive 9-under 63 in Four-Ball to be just one shot off the lead.
It was a brave move as Smith’s hair has become the two-time PGA TOUR winners good luck charm and if things had of gone wrong – well – “I would have killed him,” Smith, who won this event in 2017 with Jonas Blixt, smirked.
“But the lines were there. I had a barber do it last year, so all Leish had to do was like a coloring in, just don't go outside the lines. I had a pretty good template to work with. It wasn't too tough.”
Leishman, a five-time TOUR winner who teamed with Smith to a runner-up finish at the 2018 World Cup, was as comfortable with the clippers as he is over a 3-footer.
“During the quarantine, the start of last year when all the hairdressers were closed, my boys were getting a bit scruffy and I cut their hair,” he explained.
“I will say I was a bit nervous the first few chunks I took out, but they turned out pretty good, so I was confident I could handle the short sides for Cam.”
The duo’s attention now turns to the Foursomes format on Friday, also known as alternate shot. Leishman, who technically contributed just one of the teams birdies while Smith made an eagle and six birdies, was hoping to make his presence felt.
“We were pretty good (today). I had the pars covered on most holes, and he had the birdies covered,” Leishman said. “It was great to be playing with someone who's got a hot putter and putting himself in good positions on pretty much every hole. It made my job pretty easy. Hopefully I can fire up tomorrow and be ready for the foursomes.”