Cameron Smith hopes to end a “frustrating” 2025 campaign on a high by securing a fourth Australian PGA title after locking in his November homecoming.
The former world No.2 has endured significant on-course struggles this year, missing the cut in all four majors as his world ranking dropped to 243.
Smith also failed to post an individual win on the LIV tour but returns to the happy hunting ground of his home town in Brisbane where he was runner-up to Elvis Smylie last year at Royal Queensland, a layout set to host its final Australian PGA for the time being before restorations start to upgrade the course for the 2032 Olympics.
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“It’s unfortunate that the PGA’s going to have to go somewhere else because I think it’s found a really nice home at RQ,” Smith said on Friday.
“It is a shame. It’s a great club, it’s a good golf course, and hopefully I can win another PGA, probably more so for Brisbane and RQ than anyone else.”
Smith, the 2022 British Open champion, finished 18th on the LIV individual standings in 2025, third among his Ripper GC team behind Marc Leishman (13) and Lucas Herbert (15).
His best finish in 13 events was a tie for fifth.
“It’s been a very frustrating year,” the 32-year-old Queenslander said.
“I feel like my golf on the range is as good as it’s ever been, and it’s just a matter of taking it to the golf course which has been quite frustrating because most of my career I’ve almost always been the other way around, a bit crappy here and there on the range, it doesn’t feel so good and then go out and shoot a score.
“I’ll just keep playing and figure it out, but it’s not too far away.”
Smith will also play in the Alfred Dunhill Links tournament early next month at St Andrews, as well as the Saudi International the week before the November 27-30 PGA.
“It’s been a really busy year, and with my son (Remy) coming into the world, it’s been really hard to be away from him, so I’ll be spending as much time with him as I can,” Smith said.
“He hasn’t travelled at all. It’s been a bit rough, so I try to hang out with him as much as I can.”
Smith won the Australian PGA in 2017 and 2018 and again in 2022, and will seek to join Robert Allenby as a four-time winner, and continue the chase of Bill Dunk (five) and Kel Nagle (six) on the list of most Australian PGA titles.
“The crowds are always incredible at the Aussie PGA, especially for the locals like myself,” he said.
Smith joins a PGA field that already includes defending champion Smylie, two-time winner Adam Scott, 2023 champion Min Woo Lee and 2025 Canadian Open champion Ryan Fox as confirmed starters.
This year the PGA has an increased purse of $2.5m and offers a spot in the British Open for the top-three finishers not already qualified.
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