Cameron Smith is going through one of the most puzzling times of his career. The Australian, champion of the Open in 2022 and The Players in 2021, is experiencing a 2025 that has turned into a free fall difficult to comprehend even for himself. His elimination in the Australian PGA Championship, the seventh consecutive missed cut in tournaments with a cut, has once again highlighted the depth of the slump.
Cam opened the tournament with a hopeful 69, but on Friday he was left without answers again. Three bogeys in four holes (11, 13, and 14) ultimately condemned him out of the weekend at Royal Queensland, and without earning a single point in events valid for world ranking throughout the year. It’s no coincidence that he has fallen to position 345 in the OWGR; even the alternative ranking from Data Golf, which does include LIV tournaments, places him at 133rd, far from the number two he was just two seasons ago.
Frustration has taken hold of the player, and he doesn’t hide it. “Yes, it’s been crap,” he admitted to the media after another aimless day. He said it bluntly, almost relieved to verbalise it: “I was confident this morning, thought it was going to be a great day… but I’m confused. I can’t get going.”
Smith has tried to find explanations: doubts between clubs, a couple of bad decisions, tricky lies he hasn’t been able to save, and a lack of precision around the green uncharacteristic of him, but he makes it clear that the situation has a significant mental component. “I think it’s in my head. It’s frustrating. It’s been the story of my year: hard work and nothing in return.”
The Australian, who became a father for the first time in April, hasn’t made any cuts in the four Majors of 2025 nor in his two appearances on the Asian Tour. Difficult figures to accept for a player built around consistency and a putter that charmed.
Now he only has one opportunity left before closing the year: the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne. It will be his last chance to make a cut, avoid a complete negative record, and perhaps find a small foothold on which to rebuild his confidence. The talent is there, no one doubts it. However, the momentum drags him down and the frustration weighs heavily.
