The Claret Jug is bound for Australia after world No.2 Cameron Smith confirmed he will headline Australia’s two biggest tournaments during the summer of golf.
A day after Marc Leishman said he will return home for the first time since 2019, Smith has added his name to the Australian PGA and Australian Open as a full schedule of elite tournaments is played for the first time since the pandemic began.
Smith will bring with him the spoils of his remarkable The Open triumph, which included a stunning six-under back nine on the final day to win at St Andrews. It was the 150th edition of golf’s oldest major.
Despite Smith being on the verge of a defection to Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, the 29-year-old Queenslander won’t be prevented from playing the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland and the Australian Open at Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs in Melbourne.
Both events are co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, which has formed an alliance with the United States’ PGA Tour in the face of the threat from Norman’s concept.
The ruling means defending champions Matt Jones (Australian Open) and Jed Morgan (Australian PGA) will be eligible to tee it up in both events.
Cameron Smith will return to Australia with the Claret Jug at St Andrews.Credit:AP
Smith, who has the chance to finish the year as world No.1 after the FedEx Cup ends with the Tour Championship this week, is still expected to receive a warm homecoming, particularly in Brisbane as he tries to win the Australian PGA for a third time.
“I’ve had an unbelievable year and to be coming home to play tournaments is the icing on the cake,” Smith said.
“I’m so excited to see friends and family again. Some of them I haven’t seen for years now and once I get to the golf course, I’ve got my eye on some more trophies.
“It will be my first time playing in Melbourne since the 2019 Presidents Cup which was one of the best experiences I’ve had in golf. The crowds were incredible that week, and I’m looking forward to a similar atmosphere at Victoria and Kingston Heath.”
Smith will join Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Min Woo Lee as the headline homegrown male stars for Australia’s two big events, while Hannah Green has been confirmed for the women’s Australian Open, which will be played at the same time as the men.
PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman said Smith’s fellow Queenslanders “have been itching to see Cameron in action again as his star has risen over the past few years”, while Golf Australia boss James Sutherland was equally buoyant about the game’s biggest Australian star coming home.
“He delights fans of all ages and even young kids have been inspired by him, turning up to golf sporting mullets and dreaming of playing like him,” Sutherland said.
“For Australian golf fans, this is a great opportunity to come and watch Cameron – and to recognise his brilliant achievements, including his most recent Open championship victory.”
South Africa’s Ashley Buhai, who held on to win her first major on the fourth playoff hole in the women’s British Open at Muirfield, has also confirmed she will play the Australian Open.
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