[PHOTO: Getty Images]
A devastated Cameron Smith has choked back tears after enduring his “worst day as a professional” golfer having missed the cut as the defending champion at the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland.
Smith was teary speaking to media after a seven-over par 78 in what was a wild second round on Friday. Smith missed the cut by a whopping nine shots while Curtis Luck made a hole-in-one at the party hole 17th, but at 9am and in front of only a handful of fans. Min Woo Lee (66) leads at 12-under par, one shot ahead of two-time Australian PGA champion Adam Scott (11-under).
Smith, when asked if he could remember a worse day in his career, said “No”.
“No words. It was s–t,” he said. “I’ve performed under pressure before. It’s not acceptable. It’s very upsetting, actually. I know what I’m doing, it’s just going out there and committing to something is another thing.”
Smith, who captured last year’s PGA at Royal Queensland to cap off his Open Championship-winning year, finished this year’s edition with rounds of 73-78 for a nine-over par 151. He was 21 shots off Lee’s lead. However, it is not Smith’s worst scores as a pro. He has shot 82 on several occasions, including the 2016 Masters and FedEx St Jude events, as well as at the 2017 PGA Championship.
Smith was asked whether he needed a break, or more practice, and said: “Probably all of the above.
“[I’m] definitely getting a bit tired towards the end of the year. That’s golf. That’s not really an excuse. Australia has been so good to me, even when I have been tired. There’s no reason to perform that way. I hope I can get it together for next week and put up at least a better showing than this week.”
Smith told this publication in an interview last month that the Australian Open was the domestic trophy he craved the most, having not won it yet although he lost in a playoff to Jordan Spieth in 2016. But as the defending champion at the PGA, in his backyard of Brisbane, he wanted to put on a good show this week. Smith said he’d regroup before next week’s Australian Open.
“I hope I can get it together for next week and put on a better show than that,” he said.
Impressively, Smith still spent 15 minutes signing autographs and posing for photos with fans.
Meanwhile, NSW’s John Lyras finished round two at 10-under and in third place. Luck’s ace came during a (67) which helped him to eight-under in a tie for fourth with Lucas Herbert (68) and overnight leader Joel Moscatel Naschshon (71).
Scott’s 65 was highlighted by a near ace at the short par-4 12th, which rattled the flagstick.
The former world No.1 will play in the final group with world No.45. Lee.
“I don’t really care who I play with,” Scott said. “I’m playing in the final group and I’m happy about that.
“It’s nice to see me hitting good shots. Good shots get rewarded, maybe not be a hole-out, you need a bit of luck for that. But to get close to the hole, that’s good shots and I’m seeing a few more of them.”
Former US Amateur champion Luck was all smiles after an ace, even if it was well before the crowds arrived for the afternoon marquee groups of Scott, Lee, Smith and co.
Curtis Luck with the ball he made an ace with on Royal Queensland’s par-3 17th. [Photo: PGA of Australia]
“It was a pretty good number for what we were trying to do,” Luck said of his ace. “I mean, on that hole, the only thing you’re thinking is obviously don’t go long. Once I saw it land, I was pretty confident that it was going to stick pretty close… pretty electric stuff.”
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