Australian superstar Cam Smith will return home this summer with unfinished business on his mind, confirmed for the Capital.com Australian Open as he looks to add the Stonehaven Cup to his list of career achievements, as well as the BMW Australian PGA Championship the week prior.
This year’s PGA will be played at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney from November 26-29, while the Open will be played at Melbourne’s world-renowned Kingston Heath Golf Club from December 3-6.
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The 2022 Open Championship winner and six-time PGA Tour winner has enjoyed a remarkable career on the world stage, but one of Australian golf’s greatest prizes remains missing from his résumé.
Smith came agonisingly close to claiming the Australian Open title last year, finishing runner-up at Royal Melbourne after a thrilling week that saw him in contention until the final green.
The Queenslander’s pursuit of the Stonehaven Cup will add another compelling chapter to a championship steeped in history, with the Australian Open set to bring together some of the world’s best golfers for one of the biggest events on the Australian summer sporting calendar.
Fans will have the opportunity to watch a world-class field compete at Kingston Heath, one of the most celebrated golf courses anywhere in the world and a venue renowned for testing the very best players.
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Smith said winning the Australian Open would be a special achievement in his career.
“The Australian Open is a tournament I’ve always wanted to win,” he said. “It’s one of those events that every Australian golfer grows up knowing about and to have the chance to lift the Stonehaven Cup would mean a lot.
“I was so close last year at Royal Melbourne. It definitely left me hungry to come back and try again.
“Kingston Heath is an amazing venue and it’s going to be a great test. The course has so much history and rewards smart golf, which makes competing in an Australian Open there even more special.
“The support you get playing at home is something you never take for granted. The fans make these weeks memorable and I’m really looking forward to being part of it.”
Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland said Smith’s return added another layer of excitement to a championship with a proud place in Australian sport.
“Cameron Smith is one of the great Australian golfers of his generation and his continued pursuit of the Stonehaven Cup, a trophy that he so covets, will be one of many compelling storylines at this year’s championship,” Sutherland said. “We are delighted that Cam will once again be showcasing his exquisite skills on the Melbourne Sandbelt this summer.”
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A three-time Australian PGA Championship winner, Smith will tee it up in Sydney in November as he looks to add an historic fourth Joe Kirkwood Cup to his trophy collection.
Smith’s last victory at the Australian PGA Championship came in 2022, the same year he became a major winner after triumphing at the 150th Open Championship on the famed Old Course at St Andrews. He previously won and then successfully defended the title in 2018 and 2019.
The Queenslander will bid to become the fifth golfer in history to win at least four Australian PGA Championships, with the opportunity to join Robert Allenby, Bill Dunk, Kel Nagle and Norman von Nida on that mark.
“I’m very proud to have won the Australian PGA Championship three times and it’s a tournament I always look forward to playing in,” Smith said. “It’s always a highlight of the year to compete on home soil. The home fans really get behind us and the events we have.
“It’ll be interesting seeing the tournament in Sydney and especially at The Lakes, which is such a good test of golf. If the winds get up, it can be a very testing place to play.”
PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Cam back to the BMW Australian PGA Championship. He has achieved so much in the game and the way he continues to support Australian golf and our events means a great deal to us.
“Cam has created some incredible memories at this championship, including multiple Kirkwood Cup victories. I’m sure our golf fans in Sydney will be at The Lakes in their thousands to watch him in action in November.”
The tournament will launch the DP World Tour’s 2027 Race to Dubai.
