Cameron Smith disappointed traditional hard and fast sandbelt layouts softened for Australian Open

Cameron Smith has lashed out at the “bull**it” way Kingston Heath had been prepared for the Australian Open, calling out the softness of the sandbelt layout he’s been excited all year about and not being the “hard and fast” test he craved.

Smith, who played with former prime minister Scott Morrison in the pro-am, didn’t play a political straight bat when expressing his disappointment with the dual-gender event that demands both the Kingston Heath and Victoria layouts be set up to cope with the large volume of traffic.

Just before the venue was lashed with a serious of rainstorms, closing the course to players for most of the afternoon, the British Open champ said he’d be playing “American style” golf this week and held out little hope the course would harden up with more rain predicted.

“This is the softest and slowest I have seen a sandbelt course which is not ideal,” Smith said.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather down here and was really quite excited with the weather they had last week, with the hot temperatures, to play a firm and fast sandbelt, but it seems like there has been a lot of water on there and not exactly what I was expecting.

“The courses are in great condition, don’t get me wrong, but they are going to play so differently to how they are supposed to be played and designed to be played.”

Smith’s assertion was disputed by course officials who had initially feared the surfaces would be too firm given the lack of previous rain in Melbourne and wanted it fast.

But Smith said past experience told him the amount of rain this week wouldn’t be enough to make that course as soft as it was.

“I’ve played down here in the Aussie Open and Masters and tell this story I used to allow 25 or 30m run out for a pitching wedge, which is a lot,” he said.

“When you play at a place like this … you have to create spin, create shots to get close topspin which everyone really loves.

“I know they got some rain here over the weekend, but I’ve played down here in rain before and it’s still been (firm) the next day. I think that’s a bull**t excuse to be honest. I think it’s been prepared like that for a reason and isn’t how these courses are meant to be played.”

Min Woo Lee had earlier expressed similar views that the courses would “play a little different” to what he’d expected and prepared for, but he didn’t share Smith’s concerns.

“You are used to firm type of golf, but it’s a bit different this week and it’ll be fun,” he said.

Despite being confronted with the softer course conditions, Smith remained adamant about his strong desire to win a maiden Australian Open, declaring it was his “grand final” after a marathon run of home events.

He started at the Queensland PGA, where he finished third, followed that with the NSW Open and Australian PGA, finishing runner-up in both, and is desperate to finish on a high at the event he puts in the “top two” tournaments he wants to win having already secured his British Open dream.

“It was about getting ready for this week and getting something I haven’t been able to get,” he said.

“I think I’ve done all the right steps. The last three weeks have been really solid, but if I wanted to pick one of those this would be it, so hopefully it all comes together.”

AUSTRALIAN OPEN, NOV 28-DEC 1

Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs Melbourne

Defending champs: Men – Joaquin Niemann, Women – Ashleigh Buhai

Prizemoney: $3.4 million ($1.7 million each)

- All players will play rounds at Kingston Heath and Victoria across the opening two days with the third and fourth rounds to be played at Kingston Heath

LEADING PLAYERS

Men

CAMERON SMITH is playing the fourth of four-straight tournaments at home having geared his extra heavy schedule around collecting a first Australian Open. He finished second at last week’s Australian PGFA, second at the NSW Open and third at the Queensland PGA, a formline that puts him at top of the chances to salute this week. Likewise his LIV teammates MARC LEISHMAN was only a few close putts away from taking out the PGA and the Victoria’s lifetime of experience on the Melbourne sandbelt will aid his cause. Defending champ Joaquin Niemann is fresh off a tied for seventh at the DP World Tour tour championship behind Rory McIlroy and looms large again. Last star winner ELVIS SMYLIE tempered his celebrations to be ready for this week and MIN WOO LEE will have a point to prove after a disappointing effort as defending PGA champion.

Women

Jetlag could inhibit the performances of Australian stars HANNAH GREEN and MINJEE LEE having only arrived in Melbourne late on Tuesday after the LPGA season-ending championship in Florida but their determination to end ASHLEIGH BUHAI’S run of two consecutive wins, and collect their own maiden Australian Open titles could off-set that impact. Rising Australian stars GRACE KIM and STEPH KYRIACOU are world class talents with the game to thrive while Korean veteran JIYAI SHIN loves Australia and the former world No.1 was in contention last year with former world No.2 DANIELLE KANG wildcard as she works her way back to her best.

KEY HOLE

The Par 3 15th at Kingston Heath is a hole revered around the world, labelled the favourite of some of golf’s leading players. Only 141m, the uphill tee shot to a slopey green surrounded on both sides by cavernous bunkers and falling away at the front presents as scary for plenty and could turn the tournament late on Sunday.

KEY ROUND 1 PAIRINGS

Kingston Heath

12:05pm – Min Woo Lee, Joaquin Niemann (CHI), Jordan Smith (ENG)

12:16pm – Hannah Green, Grace Kim, Ashleigh Buhai (SAF)

Victoria Golf Club

7am – Cameron Smith, Elvis Smylie, Victor Perez (FRA)

7:11am – Minjee Lee, Steph Kyriacou, Jiyai Shin (KOR)

7:22am – Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, Yannik Paul (GER)

PAST WINNERS

Men’s

2023 - Jaoquin Niemann (-14, playoff)

2022 - Adrian Meronk (-14)

2021 - Not played

2020 - Not played

2019 - Matt Jones (-15)

Women’s

2023 - Ashleigh Buhai (-9)

2022 - Ashleigh Buhai (-12)

2021 - Not played

2020 - Inbee Park (-14)

2019 - Nelly Korda (-17)