SMITH HOME TO DEFEND

CAMERON Smith and World Cup partner Marc Leishman will head the local tilt at victory at the Australian PGA Championship to be played at RACV Royal Pines Resort from November 29 to December 2.

Smith will complete a three-week run in Australia by defending his title on the Gold Coast. The 25-year-old, who has risen to No.32 in the world ranking, can’t wait to get home after enjoying another successful year in the United States.

“I haven’t really spent much time at home this year. I just can’t wait to get back and see everyone and play some Aussie golf,” Smith said.

Leishman will be hoping to ruin Smith’s homecoming by notching up his first ‘major’ win on home soil.

“To win in your home country is a lot of fun. I’ve only done it in second-tier events,” Leishman said in the wake of his five-shot victory in October at TPC Kuala Lumpur.

“That’s certainly really important to me, to try and tick that off the list. I really want to play well and do that, hopefully this year.”

Crowd-favourite Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston, from England, will make his debut at the European Tour co-sanctioned event.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back to Australia in the summer and I definitely couldn’t call myself a proper Englishman if I haven’t ticked the Gold Coast off my list,” Johnston said.