SPORT Rare air for Cam in PGA defence
CAMERON Smith can join the greats of Aussie golf as a back-to-back winner of the Australian PGA if he outduels close friend Marc Leishman for a second time in a classic shootout today.
The Queensland favourite will have his home state fans roaring a man in maroon to the trophy after yesterday’s unruffled 67 to Leishman’s 69 in the final pairing at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast.
Not since Robert Allenby’s double at Royal Queensland (2000-01) has a golfer retained the Joe Kirkwood Cup while icon Greg Norman (1984-85), Randall Vines (1972-73), Bruce Devlin (1969-70), Colin Johnston (1963-64) Kel Nagle (1958-59) and Norman Von Nida (1950-51) are also on that honour roll.
The humble Smith says his rise to world No.33 and top five finishes in majors (twice) has happened far quicker than he ever imagined and he’s in for another leap to the top 30 if he triumphs.
Smith (70-65-67) will take a three-shot lead over his World Cup teammate of a week ago into their final round pairing but this is far from over.
Smith came from three shots behind to beat Jordan Zunic in a play-off a year ago so the onus is on the Victorian to “UnLeish” as all the tournament posters on the road to the course trumpet.
Leishman is up for the fight: “I’m expecting Cam to have a really good score, so hopefully I’ll be rolling in a few early to make it interesting.
“We’re both competitors...I know he wants to go back-toback and I want to win my first.
“We’ll go hard and be mates at the end of the day.”
“I’ve played some of my best golf of the year here”
Smith performed superbly with five birdies, pure striking and great patience because there hasn’t been a bogey blemish for his last 32 holes to reach 14-under.
“I’ve played some of my best golf of the year here mentally and pulling off shots,” Smith said after hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation.
“You want to play against the best players in the world and Leish is one of those guys.”
There is more theatre to Smith’s game now he is a genuine star. When he rifled a shot to within a metre of the pin on the party hole 16th, the fans erupted in the marquee and on the deck chairs on the artificial beach.
Leishman (68-68-69) was ragged mid-round after taking eight holes for his first birdie.
Just when there was a hint of momentum, he was forced to chip out from behind a tree on the ninth and pitch out sideways from a bunker on the 11th, either side of another neat birdie on the 10th.
It really is a race of two because the “Jake the Giantkiller” script that looked possible early fizzled out.
Brisbane pro Jake McLeod grabbed a birdie on the opening hole from close range to briefly join Smith in the lead but three costly bogeys to finish his 75 left him nine strokes off the pace.