Few professional golfers have fallen further in the past two years than LIV Golf pro Cameron Smith. But the 2022 Open Champion, winless for the past two years, has suddenly rediscovered the magic in his home country.
On Friday at the 2025 Crown Australian Open, Smith did something he hasn’t done all season: he made the cut. But he did much more than that. With 36 holes remaining, Smith is looking to end his winless drought.
Cam Smith in action at the Australian Open
The 2025 season was one to forget for Smith. Just two years ago, after his victories at the Players and Open Championships, he had one of the brightest futures in golf.
After leaving the PGA Tour for LIV, he quickly racked up three LIV wins in 2022 and 2023. But since then, Smith has fallen off the map.
Smith’s best finish at LIV in 2025 was a T5. In seven tournaments outside LIV, including all four major championships, he failed to win once. Just last week, after missing the cut at the Australian PGA Championship, Smith said his problems were “in my head.”
As a result, he has fallen from second place in the official world golf rankings to his current position of 354th.
But his home game, played at the iconic Royal Melbourne, has sparked a comeback.
In Thursday’s opening round, Smith made four birdies but added three bogeys to finish at one under and start the second round at risk of missing another cut.
But on Friday, Smith put to rest any concerns about extending his missed cut streak. He made six birdies for a bogey-free 65 in Round 2.
That not only put him seven shots shy of the cut line, but also within two shots of the lead held by Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Daniel Rodrigues. Although Smith has won the Australian PGA Championship three times, most recently in 2022, he has never won the Australian Open.
Fellow Australian major champion Adam Scott is tied with Smith at seven under.
McIlroy makes a cut at the Australian Open after a late attack
Despite Smith being a homegrown Australian star, he is not the biggest draw in the field. That would be world number 2 Rory McIlroy.
;)
‘That’s my opinion’: Rory McIlroy gives a sharp look at the iconic guest course
Kevin Cunningham
McIlroy committed months ago to play the Australian Open this week as part of his plan to play more historic opens around the world.
Despite host venue Royal Melbourne being slighted earlier this week, McIlroy’s presence has taken the event to new heights.
But with four holes to play in Friday’s second round, McIlroy found himself on the wrong side of the border and staring at an early flight home.
A bogey on the par-5 14th took him to even for the round and one over for the tournament. To play the weekend, McIlroy needed at least one birdie.
He made not one, but three. The 2025 Masters champion birdied 15, 17 and 18 to shoot a 68, putting him at two under for the tournament and two out of bounds.
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