Cameron Smith Struggles at Home and Misses the Cut
Golfer Cameron Smith has experienced another disappointing weekend in his homeland, missing the cut for the seventh consecutive time. The three-time Australian Open champion had an unfavorable performance, signing a card of four over par (75). Smith, who started Friday’s round at two under par, had early birdie opportunities, but on two occasions his ball stayed on the edge of the hole. After falling below the cut line with a bogey on the 11th hole, Smith watched his par putts slip away on the 13th and 14th holes, in a tense atmosphere at the Royal Queensland Golf Club. Although he managed a birdie on the 17th hole, hope was short-lived. A triple bogey on the 18th hole sealed his fate, finishing at two over par, far from the leaders. The provisional lead is held by Brett Rankin, Kazuma Kobori, Wenyi Ding and Anthony Quayle, all at nine under par. Rankin, with seven under par after 18 holes, took the lead despite a double bogey on his penultimate hole. Min Woo Lee, the 2023 champion, joined him and added six birdies before a bogey on the last hole. Cameron Davis, Daniel Hillier, Marc Leishman, and Marco Penge (seven under par) remain close in the standings, while Ryan Fox fell with three strokes at the end, placing himself at five under par. Adam Scott (six under par) is also in the fight, thanks to a long birdie putt on the 17th hole. Elvis Smylie (two under par) managed to make the cut. Smith, on a day to forget, failed to make the cut at Royal Queensland, repeating the disappointment of 2023. Smith, who was the runner-up last year, has had a slump in his performance, being the only player to miss the cut in this year’s four majors. His winless streak is approaching two and a half years, and he will arrive at next week’s Australian Open in Melbourne without any victories. Leishman had an outstanding day, achieving an eagle from the bunker on the seventh hole and a subsequent birdie. Leishman, 42, is seeking his first major Australian title and remains optimistic.We are golfers and artists, and I really enjoy entertaining, whether with a drive or a spectacular bunker shot.
Leishman
