Cameron Smith Suffers Another Australian PGA Disappointment, Misses Cut for Seventh Straight Time
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A frustrating week for the hometown favorite culminated in Cameron Smith missing the cut at the Australian PGA Championship, continuing a recent slump for the 2022 Open Championship winner.
The three-time Australian PGA champion endured a difficult second round at Royal Queensland Golf Club, carding a four-over 75 to finish at two over par – well behind the leaders. This marks Smith’s seventh consecutive cut missed, raising concerns about his form.
A costly triple-bogey on the fifth hole proved costly. A bogey on the 11th hole pushed him below the cut line, and further missed opportunities on the 13th and 14th compounded his struggles.
despite a brief glimmer of hope with an eight-footer for birdie on the 17th, a disastrous finish sealed his fate. Smith missed the 18th green and subsequently three-putted for a double-bogey.
leaderboard Crowded as Smith falters
While Smith’s tournament ended in disappointment, the leaderboard is tightly packed. Brett Rankin, Kazuma Kobori, Wenyi Ding, and Anthony Quayle lead at nine under, though all still had at least one hole to play at the time of reporting. Rankin secured the clubhouse lead despite a double-bogey on his penultimate hole.
2023 champion Min Woo Lee joined Rankin at nine under, having carded six birdies before a bogey on the last. Cameron Davis, Daniel Hillier, Marc Leishman, and Marco Penge are all within striking distance at seven under, while Ryan Fox sits at five under after dropping three shots late in his round. Adam scott remains in contention at six under, thanks to a crucial birdie putt on the 17th. Defending champion Elvis Smylie managed to rally and make the cut, but European players Joaquín Niemann and Rasmus neergaard-Petersen struggled, finishing at even par and five over, respectively.
A Prolonged Slump for the Former World No.2
This week’s performance echoes a difficult stretch for Smith. He experienced a notably low point at Royal Queensland in 2023, visibly emotional after shooting a seven-over 78 on Friday to miss the cut.While he rebounded last year to finish runner-up and later came close at the Saudi International,that form has proven elusive.
Notably, smith is the only player to have missed the cut at all four major championships this year. He has also fallen short in his last two tournaments, and is now facing a winless streak approaching two-and-a-half years.
leishman’s bold Play and Davis’s Return
Amidst Smith’s struggles, Marc Leishman showcased a spirited performance, chipping in for eagle from the seventh bunker and demonstrating aggressive play off the fairway. “We’re golfers and entertainers and I really enjoy entertaining, whether it’s a driver off the deck or a cool, spinning bunker shot,” Leishman stated. He emphasized a commitment to bold shot-making,adding,”Playing the way you’d play at home – not careless shots,just fun shots and taking on pins in different ways. I’m battling the whole time and trying to take it on … to get to a lot of the pins that some people can’t.”
Cameron Davis,in his first tournament as an early exit from the PGA Tour in August,showed no signs of rust. Min Woo Lee, fresh off his maiden US PGA Tour win this year, also navigated the challenging course effectively.
Smith will now look to regroup before heading to Melbourne for the Australian open, hoping to rediscover the form that led him to a major championship victory in 2022.
