Cameron Smith misses Aussie Open cut after ‘a few too many beers’ night before

Cameron Smith was enjoying a few beers with some of his mates Friday night at Moonee Valley Racing Club in Melbourne when he had to, well, get back on the horse.

Smith, who a week earlier won the Australian PGA, figured he’d missed the cut at the Australian Open when he decided on the night out. But when his 2-over total through 36 holes surprisingly proved good enough to play on into Saturday, Smith quickly changed pace.

He was due on the tee in just a few hours.

“I wasn’t really expecting it,” Smith said. “I was pretty quick to the pub and I was probably a few too many beers deep and then realized we had an early tee time, so I got back on the waters and was a good boy for the rest of the night.”

Smith couldn’t muster much of a rally in Round 3, though, as the world No. 3 shot 1-under 69 at Victoria Golf Club. At 1 over, he missed the secondary cut – top 30 and ties – by two shots. Notables Cameron Davis, Rasmus Hojgaard and amateur Wenyi Ding joined Smith in bowing out after 54 holes.

Full-field scores from the ISPS Handa Australian Open

Adam Scott, meanwhile, remained atop the leaderboard at 11 under, a shot clear of Adrian Meronk and two ahead of Min Woo Lee and Haydn Barron. Scott, Meronk and Lee are now preparing for a final-group tee time late Sunday morning.

Smith, if he so wanted, was free to return to the pub.

“I thought I had it in me today and hit lots of good golf shots, and just couldn’t really capitalize,” Smith said. “Just not my week.”