BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Former British Open champion Cameron Smith and Jason Day, who is back Down Under for the first time in seven years, shot 4-under 67s Thursday and were two strokes off the lead after the first round of the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland. Smith, the 2022 British Open champion at St. Andrews, 2015 PGA Championship winner Day and fellow Australian Marc Leishman were in a group behind first-round leader Elvis Smylie, the son of former Australian tennis pro Liz Smylie.
He shot 65. Joel Girrbach of Switzerland, France's Victor Perez, Cristobal del Solar of Chile and Australian Matias Sanchez were tied for second with 66s, a stroke behind Smylie. Min Woo Lee, who won last year's tournament at Royal Queensland, shot 68 and was three strokes off the lead.
Lee, Day and Smith were in the same early group Thursday in the joint PGA Tour of Australasia and the inaugural European Tour event for the 2025 season. The 22-year-old Smylie , who is from the nearby Gold Coast, said the tournament was like a “home game” for him. “It’s only an hour’s drive,” Smylie said.
“I’ve played a lot of golf here. I’m quite familiar with the course and every part of my game’s really good at the moment. I’m really comfortable with what I’m doing.
” The 37-year-old Day said he enjoyed being in the featured group Thursday. He hadn't played in his home country since the 2017 Australian Open and he has not played the Australian PGA since 2011. “Obviously Ca.
