Cameron Smith’s struggles continued at the Australian PGA Championship, where he missed the cut for the seventh consecutive event. The three-time champion posted a disappointing score of four-over-par 75 at the Royal Queensland Golf Club, leaving him well behind the leaders.
Starting his round on Friday at two-under, Smith had early opportunities to improve his position but failed to capitalize. He left two birdie attempts on the lip of the hole, and his round took a turn for the worse with a bogey on the 11th hole. Despite showing some resilience, Smith’s efforts were overshadowed by missed par putts on the 13th and 14th holes. A late birdie at the 17th hole offered a brief flicker of hope, but a double-bogey on the 18th sealed his fate, finishing two-over for the tournament.
As Smith struggled, the leaderboard was dominated by strong performances from several players. Early clubhouse leader Brett Rankin ended the day at nine-under, despite a double-bogey on his second last hole. He was joined by Kazuma Kobori, Wenyi Ding, and Anthony Quayle, all of whom had at least one hole remaining.
Former champion Min Woo Lee made an impressive showing, sinking six birdies before finishing one shot back at eight-under. Other notable players included Cameron Davis, Daniel Hillier, Marc Leishman, and Marco Penge, who all stood at seven-under, while Ryan Fox slipped to five-under after three late bogeys. Adam Scott managed to stay competitive at six-under, thanks to a long birdie putt on the 17th.
Smith’s performance at this year’s event was particularly disheartening, as it follows a disappointing 2023, where he missed the cut with a seven-over-par 78. He returned last year to finish as the runner-up and came close to victory at the Saudi International shortly thereafter. This year, however, Smith has faced challenges across all four major tournaments, becoming the only player to miss the cut in each.
As he heads to the Australian Open next week, Smith’s drought without a victory stretches to nearly two-and-a-half years. Meanwhile, his playing partner Lee celebrated his first win on the US PGA Tour earlier this year, showcasing a contrasting trajectory.
Leishman, who has yet to win a major Australian title, expressed his determination to keep pushing forward. “We’re golfers and entertainers, and I really enjoy entertaining,” he said. “Playing the way you’d play at home—taking on pins in different ways—is what it’s all about.”
With the Australian Open on the horizon, Smith will need to find his form if he hopes to break his winless streak. The competition remains fierce, and as players like Rankin and Lee demonstrate, the stakes have never been higher.
