Chicago Preview: Rippers stick to same successful recipe in build-up to Bolingbrook
BOLINGBROOK, Illinois – Great team chemistry and close attention to detail have helped Rippers GC thrive during the 2024 LIV Golf season and the all-Australian combination plans to stick to that successful recipe for the last two events.
Heading into this week's LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club, the Rippers sit third in the standings and they will be vying with Smash GC and Torque GC for the third and final bye for next week's season-ending Team Championship in Texas.
Although the Rippers made a slow start to the year, they caught fire with a third-place finish at LIV Golf Hong Kong in early March before going on to win back-to-back titles in Adelaide and Singapore. They finished second in Greenbrier after their most recent start to secure a second consecutive runner-up spot and their fifth podium of the season.
"We've spoken a bunch over the last three weeks about getting that third bye for Dallas, and it's something that we're all thinking about," Rippers captain Cameron Smith said as he and his team mates prepared for Friday's opening round at Bolingbrook.
"All we can do is just really the same stuff as what we have been doing, and that's just playing really consistent golf and preparing well. We got here a little bit earlier this week after a long break, and I think that was a good move. We are just trying to do all the right stuff."
Smith believes that the Rippers culture has underpinned their success as a team this season.
"We all work hard," said the Rippers captain who has finished second three times this year. "We all want to make each other do great things. We all hang out and even compete early in the week as we're preparing for tournaments. That's been a really good key for us being consistent, as well. Just ticking all the boxes and being competitive in our own group has really prepared us well for this season."
Arriving in Chicago earlier than usual has enabled the Rippers team to learn some of the nuances of the par-70 Bolingbrook layout with its elevated tees, rolling fairways and seven lakes scattered across the property.
"We had played all 18 holes by this Tuesday," smiled Smith. "The golf course is really tricky. The greens, as they firm up throughout the week, are going to get really quite tricky to hold. You're going to have to hit a lot of big shot shapes and kind of fancy shots to sometimes even hold greens.
"It's going to be really interesting but, as for the team, we all love this venue. I think being creative is in our blood as Australian golfers, so I feel like this is a course that really can suit us."
Smith has been one of the best players in LIV Golf this year without yet winning an individual title. He occupies sixth place in the season-long individual standings and he heads the league's putting charts while ranking fourth in birdies and 12th in scrambling.
Asked what had prevented him from winning an individual title in 2024, he replied: "Geez, I don't even know. Probably guys just playing better than me, to be honest. Throughout the season I could have done a few things better, but those tournaments where I was close, I was doing everything right. Someone just beat me at the end."
The season-long Individual Championship will be decided at Bolingbrook on Sunday and only Legion XIII's Jon Rahm and Torque GC's Joaquin Niemann are still in contention for that title. However, Smith is among the next five players in points who will vie for the final podium position.
"Although it's frustrating that I haven't won yet this season and it's kind of hard to take, everything feels good," said the 31-year-old from Queensland. "My game feels like it's kind of going in the right direction but yeah, I still need to get a win."