BRISBANE, Australia — Cameron Smith, the former champion of the British Open, kicked off his round with a strong performance, sinking birdies on three of his first four holes on Saturday. He finished the day with an impressive 6-under 65, placing him at the top of the leaderboard for the second round of the Australian PGA Championship held at Royal Queensland Golf Club.


Due to heavy rains that rendered the course unplayable on Friday, the second round was cut short, transforming the event into a 54-hole tournament that is set to conclude on Sunday. Smith, who triumphed at St. Andrews in the 2022 British Open, recorded a two-day total of 10-under 132, putting him in a tie with the first-round leader, Elvis Smylie, who posted a score of 67. Notably, Smylie is the son of former Australian tennis player Liz Smylie.


In third place, just one stroke behind the leaders, is Marc Leishman, a fellow Australian and LIV tour participant who finished with a score of 66. Jason Day, back in Australia for the first time in seven years, managed to shoot a 69, putting him four shots behind the leading duo. Min Woo Lee, last year’s tournament winner at Royal Queensland, posted a 73. He made the cut by exactly reaching 2-under, trailing by eight strokes.


Lucas Herbert, another Australian competing on the LIV Tour, achieved a round of 66, while 2004 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy recorded a 68. Both players are sitting at 5-under, five strokes adrift of the leaders. Herbert, who recently claimed victory at the New South Wales Open on the Australasian Tour, expressed dissatisfaction with his performance, citing missed putts and imprecise shots on the damp riverside course.


“It feels strange to complain about shooting 5-under, but here I am,” Herbert remarked regarding his round.


This Australian PGA Championship marks the opening event of the 2025 European Tour season. Next week, many competitors will transition to Melbourne for the Australian Open, which runs simultaneously with the Women’s Australian Open at the celebrated sandbelt courses of Kingston Heath and Victoria.