AUSTRALIAN professional Golf is midway through its entrée ahead of two mouth-watering main courses – the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open (men’s, women’s and all abilities).

Ahead of the two main men’s tournaments, PGA Tour of Australasia players will continue to sharpen their games at the Queensland PGA Championship (Nudgee GC), Gippsland Super 6 (Warragul CC) and the Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links.

Then all focus will be on the Fortinet Australian Pga Championship at Royal Queensland.

Of course, all the usual suspects will be there trying to get a slice of the $2m prize purse including Cam Smith, Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee, Lucas Herbert et al.

But Cameron Smith is the logical choice to win his second successive Australian PGA title at RQ from November 23-26.

All signs point his way. The 30-year-old has already won the championship three times (2017, 2018 and 2022). 

And last year he won his first major – The Open – when ranked No.2 in the world which eliminated him from the ‘best players never to have a major on their resume’ list. He also has a good track record playing the LIV Golf League with three victories including two this year.

Yes, logic suggests Smith will be the people’s choice to lift the Kirkwood Cup for a fourth time.

Still, Smith will have to bring his A game as he’ll have Scott (the 2013 champion), Min Woo, Herbert and others breathing down his mullet. And don’t forget Jed Morgan, the 2021 champion who scored a runaway victory on his home track of Royal Queensland. He has been playing nice golf on the LIV Golf tour.

More big-name players like Cam Davis and Marc Leishman are expected to add their names to the list before entries close.

Then there are a number of young guns who could spoil the party. Some of the hungry energetic young golfers include Aaron Wilkin, who won the BRG Open Championship in Vietnam, Louis Dobbelaar, Deyen Lawson, Daniel Gale, Haydn Barron, Maverick Antcliff, Lawry Flynn, Lachlan Barker, David Micheluzzi, Blake Proverbs and Brett Coletta.

When the last putt drops at RQ all eyes will turn to Sydney’s The Lakes and The Australian as joint hosts of the AUSTRALIAN OPEN (men’s women’s and all abilities).

To be played from November 30 to December 3, the men’s and women’s ISPS HANDA Australian Open carries a combined prize purse of $3.4m with the men’s event sanctioned by the DP World Tour.

Australia’s No.1 player, Cameron Smith, will be there and so will Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee, Lucas Herbert and Aaron Baddeley.

Remember Badds.com? The two-time champion is making an emotional homecoming after seven years to have another tilt at the title. He will arrive confident after pocketing more than $1.8m on the US PGA Tour in the 2022-23 season. 

It’s too early to say if the tall (1.97m) Polish player, Adrian Meronk, will defend his title. 

At this stage, it appears the main focus will be on Cam Smith, who will try to win his national Open for the first time.

“Cam Smith is one of the biggest drawcards in world golf and I’m sure Australian golf fans are as delighted as we are that we will see him at both the Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship this year,” said Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland.

“His quest for the Stonehaven Cup at The Australian and The Lakes in Sydney will be a highlight of the summer of sport.”

PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman is also excited: “With Cam locked in for both fields, the Australian PGA and Australian Open will be must-see events.” 

In the early stages of his professional career, Smith lost a playoff to American Jordan Spieth at the 2016 Australian Open at Royal Sydney. The following year, he was fourth behind Cam Davis at The Australian. 

The Women’s Australian Open has been a happy hunting ground for international players. In the past 10 Open’s only one Australian, Karrie Webb, has lifted the trophy. That was in 2014.

Last year, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai won the title and at press time she had not entered to defend her title. Other international winners were American sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda in 2012 and 2019 respectively.

Kiwi Lydia Ko won in 2015 and Japan’s Haru Nomura was successful a year later. Korean players Jiyai Shin, Ha Na Jang, Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park won the women’s Open in 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2020 respectively. 

Still, Aussies including Minjee Lee, Hannah Green (both yet to enter), Steph Kyriacou et al will make their presence felt.

Whatever happens, it’s going to be an Australian summer sizzler. Don’t miss it.