Sebastian García leads PGA in Brisbane before the rain

Sebastian García leads the Australian PGA Championship before suspension due to storm

Spanish Sebastián García is in a dominant position at the Australian PGA Championship. The Iberian golfer demonstrated his great form by reaching seven under par after 15 holes, with a three-stroke lead over his pursuers. The competition was interrupted due to the arrival of electrical storms in Brisbane, forcing the organizers to suspend the game and evacuate the public for safety. García, who comes from winning in China and obtaining two results in the top five in his last five participations, will seek to continue his excellent performance when the tournament resumes.

Sebastian Garcia. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Before the suspension, several players shared the lead in the clubhouse. Among them were Ryan Fox from New Zealand, Wenyi Ding from China, Tapio Pulkkanen from Finland, and Anthony Quayle, who had Steve Williams as a caddie. Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee, prominent figures in the tournament, were one stroke away, with rounds of 68. Cameron Smith, three-time tournament champion, birdied his final hole to finish at two-under par, as did defending champion Elvis Smylie. Marc Leishman and Cam Davis, among other players who began their round in the afternoon, were two under par and still with holes to play when play was stopped. The tournament also witnessed two holes-in-one, including Kazuma Kobori’s and Daniel Gale’s, who won a BMW. Smith revealed the hard work he has done to recover his short game. The golfer, who hasn’t won a title in more than two years, began his round at 2:45 am and signed a card of 69 strokes, two under par. Smith highlighted his performance in putting and chipping, areas he has been focusing on intensely. He achieved ten one-putts and 26 in total, which gave him confidence in his game.

I made a lot of good six-to-eight-foot putts, but I didn’t make anything beyond that all day, so it was good to see that one go in,” he said about his birdie on the ninth hole.

Cameron Smith

Lee lamented the bad luck upon seeing his approach on the final hole hit the flagstick, forcing him to settle for par. Scott, for his part, is seeking his first 72-hole victory since February 2020.

It’s a tough field to make a lot of putts unless you’re putting it close all the time,” Scott said.

Adam Scott