Few professional players have fallen more over the past two years than LIV Golf pro Cameron Smith. But to 2022 Open Championwho is winless in his last two years, has suddenly rediscovered the magic in his home country.
Friday at 2025 Crown Australian OpenSmith did something he hasn’t done all season: He made the cut. But he did much more than that. With 36 holes to go, Smith is aiming to end his winless drought.
Cam Smith gets into contention at the Australian Open
The 2025 season has been one to forget for Smith. Just two years ago, fresh off winning the Players Championship and the Open, he had one of the brightest futures in golf.
After leaving the PGA Tour for LIV, he quickly picked up three LIV wins in 2022 and 2023. But since then, Smith has fallen off the map.
;)
‘In my head:’ LIV star Cam Smith baffled by poor form after another missed cut
Josh Schrock
Smith’s best finish at LIV in 2025 was a T5. In seven tournaments outside LIV, including all four major championships, he failed to make a single cut. As recently as 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 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of 2022 to his current position of 354.
But his open house, played in the icon Royal Melbournehas inspired a comeback.
In Thursday’s opening round, Smith made four birdies, but he added three bogeys to finish at one under and start the second round in danger of missing another cut.
But on Friday, Smith put to rest any worries about extending his losing streak. He made six birdies for a bogey-free 65 in Round 2.
Not only did that put him seven shots short of the cut, but he made it within two strokes of the lead held by Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Daniel Rodrigues. While Smith has won the Australian PGA Championship three times, most recently in 2022, he has never won the Australian Open.
Fellow Australian Grand Champion Adam Scott tied with Smith on seven under.
McIlroy makes cut at Australian Open after late charge
Despite Smith being a homegrown Australian star, he isn’t the biggest draw on the field. That would be world number 2 Rory McIlroy.
;)
‘That’s my opinion’: Rory McIlroy gives heated take on iconic host course
Kevin Cunningham
McIlroy committed to playing in this week’s Australian Open months ago as part of his plan to play more historic stages around the world.
regardless of highlighting the host course Royal Melbourne earlier in the weekMcIlroy’s presence has elevated 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 tee and staring down an early flight home.
A bogey on the par-5 14th left him tied for the round and another for the tournament. To play the weekend, McIlroy needed at least one birdie to come.
He didn’t do one, he did three. The 2025 Masters champion made birdies on 15, 17 and 18 to shoot a 68. That left him at two under for the tournament and two away from the cut.
