Bolstered by home support, Cam Smith was eying to end his yearlong title drought. The Ripper GC captain last made a podium finish at LIV Golf Bedminster in August 2023. A year after horribly missing the cut and weeks after two back-to-back near misses, Smith opened with a 4-under 67 at the 2024 Australian PGA Championship, only two shots back of the first-round leader. Elvis Smylie. But now his campaign for a triumph on home soil seems to be under doubt. 

The Royal Queensland Golf Course hosting the $1.3 million event has been deemed unplayable after heavy overnight rain. According to reports, the course has received 180mm of rainfall since last Saturday. Thanks to the greenkeeper’s humongous effort, the first round went without any hitch. However, last night’s rain has jeopardized all plans. 

Ahead of the second round, the PGA of Australia announced a two-hour delay from its initial tee-off at 6 AM local time. However, later it was decided that play couldn’t be resumed before 1 PM. Eventually, the DP World Tour announced that the AUD 2M (USD 1.3M)-purse Australian PGA Championship will now be a 54-hole tournament. The second round has been postponed to Saturday, with the final (third) round moving to Sunday.

Notably, Brisbane has recorded the coldest November day in more than a decade thanks to incessant rain. Per the weather forecast, light showers are expected to continue till the weekend. Which means there’s little respite for greenkeepers. And Cam Smith.

Although Smith’s Ripper GC won the team event in a thrilling playoff at LIV Golf Adelaide, the captain himself couldn’t break inside the top ten. The 31-year-old also missed the cut at last year’s Australian PGA Championship by a whopping nine strokes.

Smith choked up after squandering his chance for a title defense. He didn’t hide his determination before teeing up this year. His current form stood in his support as well. But ultimately, the weather will decide Cam Smith’s fate.

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Cam Smith’s title bid faces a severe rain threat

Smith had yet to forget the salty taste of tears from a year ago. Before teeing up at the 2024 Australian PGA Championship, the 31-year-old said, “A lot more motivation, probably even more motivation to get out here and do a better job this year. And I feel like I’ve been prepping really hard and doing all the right stuff to compete this week and be in contention.”

He blamed a lack of practice for last year’s shocking result. Smith teed off in the Hong Kong Open before entering the Australian PGA Championship field a year ago. This time, the former Open winner was taking no chances. This is his third tournament in November. Smith was coming off a T3 at the Queensland PGA Championship and a T2 at the NSW Open.

While the weather forecast doesn’t spell additional trouble, it offers little relief. Per the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, there is a 40% chance of rain on Saturday and 20% on Sunday. So, Cam Smith has to look up at the sky to ensure a home soil glory.