Smith, who is making his seventh U.S. Open start, captured the 2022 Players Championship by one stroke for this second PGA Tour title of 2022. He previously had won the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, posting a 34-under total of 258 to edge 2021 U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm by one stroke. In April, he finished tied for third in the Masters for his third consecutive top-10 finish at Augusta National. Had climbed to within one stroke of leader and eventual champion Scottie Scheffler before suffering a disastrous triple-bogey 6 on the 12th hole. Before turning professional, Smith won the 2013 Australian Amateur. He also is a two-time Australian Amateur Stroke Play champion, and he won the 2011 Australian Boys Amateur. He won consecutive Australian PGA titles (2017 and 2018), an event co-sanctioned by the European Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. He also represented the International side in the 2019 Presidents Cup.