Smith, who won his first LIV title last month in London, led Charles Howell III by one stroke at Trump National Golf Club.
The 2022 Open Champion is ranked No.8 in the world and No. 2 in the LIV standings, just 15 points behind three-time winner, Talor Gooch.
“I don’t go to bed thinking about it, but I know (where I stand),” Smith said.
“That was part of the reason for the work, the extra work this week. It’s to be the best at the end of the season. That’s what you want to be.
“Sure, you want to win tournaments, but I think proving it over 13 tournaments is much better than one.”
Smith was not yet a member of the Saudi-funded league when Sweden’s Henrik Stenson won last year’s event at Trump National. That didn’t stop him from piling up six birdies and recording only one bogey in his introduction to the course.
“The rough is pretty gnarly,”…