Cameron Smith grabs share of lead as rain halts Australian PGA

BRISBANE, Australia — Former British Open champion Cameron Smith birdied three of his first 4 holes Saturday for a 6-under 65 and was tied for the second-round lead on the rain-shortened Australian PGA championship at Royal Queensland.

Heavy rain showers and an unplayable course Friday compelled the second spherical to be deserted and made the joint Australasian PGA and European Tour occasion a 54-hole event scheduled to finish Sunday.

Smith, the 2022 British Open winner at St. Andrews, had a 36-hole whole of 10-under 132, stage with first-round chief Elvis Smylie, who shot 67. Smylie is the son of former Australian tennis professional Liz Smylie

“That is my residence occasion, this event’s all the time been very nice to me,” stated Smith. “It is a actually cool surroundings which might be why I play so effectively, however you have to exit and do it.”

The 22-year-old Smylie stated, “Each a part of my recreation is in fairly good condition.”

“As quickly as I used to be in difficult positions, I did a extremely good job getting out of it with out doing an excessive amount of harm..” Smylie stated.

Smith’s LIV tour mate and fellow Australian Marc Leishman, who shot 66, was in third place and a stroke behind the main pair.

Jason Day, making his first look again residence in Australia in seven years, shot 69 and was 4 strokes behind Smith and Smylie. Min Woo Lee, who gained final 12 months’s event at Royal Queensland, had a 73 and made the minimize on the quantity at 2-under, eight strokes behind.

Lucas Herbert, an Australian who additionally performs on the LIV Tour, shot 66, and 2004 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy had a 68. They have been at 5-under and 5 strokes behind.

Herbert, who gained final week’s New South Wales Open on the Australasian tour, overtaking Smith on the ultimate day, wasn’t glad along with his spherical. He was upset with himself for missed putts and “unfastened” fairway choices on a soggy riverside course.

“Feels bizarre to take a seat right here and complain about capturing 5-under, however right here I’m,” he stated.

The Australian PGA is the primary occasion of the 2025 European Tour season.

Subsequent week in Australia lots of the similar gamers will journey to Melbourne for the Australian Open, additionally on the European Tour, which is being performed concurrently with the Ladies’s Australian Open at famed sandbelt programs Kingston Heath and Victoria.