Cameron Smith, ST ANDREWS's hero, might be instantly recognisable for his iconic mullet. But it wasn't always that way.

The 2022 Open champion looks totally different from the picture he took when he was just 19 years old.

Smith, now 28, beat Rory McIlroy to yesterday's Claret Jug with an amazing final round 64. This included FIVE birdsies in a row on back-nine.

The Mullet-covered champ was the first Aussie to win The Open, since Greg Norman's rebellious LIV Golf series in 1993.

Smith's now-famous hairstyle has not always been his.

A 2013 Instagram photo shows him with two friends and his short, spikey hair.

He looks totally unrecognizable in the shot.

Smith was still a teenager when the picture was taken. He was feeling the effects of golf on his body all the time.

Trainer Nick Randall told PGA Tour that he had previously said to PGA Tour, "At 16 he was weak and tight and had some alarming postural adaptations due to golf."

"He was constantly in pain and discomfort in many areas."

Smith began to gain weight and was forced to attend a three-month bootcamp at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.

Smith, a Brisbane native, is now in top shape. He reportedly dates Shanel Naoum and continues to have a few beers.

After his win yesterday, he had St Andrews in stitches as he promised to figure out how many beers he could fit into the Claret Jug.

Open Champion: "Winning an Open Championship is likely to be a highlight of a golfer’s career. It is amazing to do it in St Andrews. This place is amazing.

"I will definitely find out how many beers this Jug can hold, that's for certain."

He added, "I'll probably be having about 20 Claret Jugs."