Cameron Smith endured yet another hometown horror show as the three-time Australian PGA Champion suffered a bad run of form, dropping his card with a 4-over 75 and missing out on qualifying for the seventh year in a row.
The local up-and-comer started Friday’s round at 2-under predicted at the cut line and went for an early birdie, but twice left the ball on the rim of the cup.
After bogeying the 11th hole and dropping below the line, a panicked Smith watched on as his par putts slipped away on the 13th and 14th at the Royal Queensland Golf Club.
He had a glimmer of hope with an 8-foot birdie on the 17th party hole, but his fate was sealed when he missed the green on the 18th and three-putted for double bogey.
He finished 2 over and 9 under, far off a crowded leaderboard led by early clubhouse leaders Brett Rankin, Kazuma Kobori, Ding Wen-Yi and Anthony Quayle. They were all scheduled to play at least one hole.
Rankin, who was 7 under through 18 holes, took the clubhouse lead at 9 under despite a double bogey on the penultimate hole.
After that, 2023 champion Lee Min-woo joined in, and after making six birdies, his final bogey brought him within one stroke.
Cameron Davis, Daniel Hillier, Mark Leishman and Marco Penge (7 under) are all within striking distance on the crowded leaderboard, while Ryan Fox drops three strokes in the closing stages to remain at 5 under.
Adam Scott (6-under) fell back thanks to a long birdie putt on the 17th, and defending champion Elvis Smiley (2-under) rallied to qualify, but European hotshots Joaquin Niemann (even-par) and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (5-over) both struggled.
Smith was in tears on Friday after shooting a seven-over-par 78 and failing to qualify for the 2023 Royal Queensland Championship, marking his worst day as a professional.
However, he returned last year and finished runner-up, only to lose in the playoffs at the Saudi International shortly thereafter.
The former world No. 2 and 2022 Open Championship winner was overlooked due to his strong form, making him the only player to miss out on all four majors this year.
He then lost his next two tournaments and will arrive in Melbourne for next week’s Australian Open on a winless streak that is approaching two-and-a-half years.
Playing partner Lee, who made a huge breakthrough this year with his first win on the U.S. PGA Tour, was unaffected by the carnage as he was picking up shots regularly, and Davis showed no signs of getting rusty in his first tournament since dropping out early on the PGA Tour in August.
Leishman rallied earlier in the day, chipping in from the No. 7 bunker for eagle, then swiping his driver off the fairway and finishing his round with three birdies in a thrilling series.
The 42-year-old former Greg Normal Medal winner has never won a major Australian title but vowed to continue his fierce pursuit of a title.
“We’re golfers and entertainers, and we really enjoy entertaining, whether it’s a driver off the deck or a cool, spinning bunker shot,” Leishman said.
“I play the same way I play at home, not careless shots, just fun shots and going for the pin in different ways.
“I’ve been fighting and trying to go for it…to get a lot of pins that some people don’t get.”
