After a year banking millions, Cam Smith turns his focus to winning at home
Cameron Smith will return to defend his Australian PGA Championship and also attempt to claim an elusive Australian Open title, saying it’s No.1 on his to-do list.
Brisbane's Cameron Smith takes a shot in the Masters.(Photo: ABC)
The 2022 British Open champion was greeted by a massive swell of support from Australian golf fans last year as he stormed to his third victory at Royal Queensland.
He fell short of his quest for a maiden Australian Open and a rare local double when he was eliminated in a contentious Saturday cut at the Melbourne sand-belt tournament a week later.
The Queensland star said he had circled the Open, which this year will be played at The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs in Sydney, as a title he was determined to win.
Back in 2016 Smith lost a play-off to American Jordan Spieth at Royal Sydney and a year later finished fourth behind Cam Davis at The Australian course.
In a repeat from last year it will be held as a dual-gender event at two courses, from November 30 to December 3.
“It’s probably number one for things I want to win,” Smith said from his US base.
“I’ve been close and I feel like it’s been right there for me a bunch of times and I haven’t really taken advantage of it.
“It’s at a couple of really good golf courses this year – The Australian in particularly I feel really comfortable around that place.
“I’ve also played well around the Lakes but the Australian for me is somewhere where I think I can go out there and make a ton of birdies and hopefully win convincingly, it would be nice.”
With his ranking down to world No.11 from a career-high two, Smith said he was also looking forward to getting home to Brisbane for the PGA title, which returns to Royal Queensland on November 23-26.
“It’s a good place; I’ve been a member there now for probably almost 13 or 14 years … it’s definitely a place that’s close to the heart,” he said.
“And I do love the golf course – I”ve been around it a ton and I think particularly the way it played last year being firm and fast was really cool to see the golf course like that.”
Joining the breakaway LIV Golf tour in 2022, Smith has been in superb form again this this year.
The 30-year-old has had two top-10 finishes in this year’s majors and has collected two international victories.
