Brisbane golf fans were out early on Thursday morning to see Smith play the first of four events on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season, the 2022 Open champion making an inauspicious start by hitting his opening tee shot into the water at the par-4 10th.
A bogey there would be his only dropped shot of the day, Smith’s round of 5-under 67 sparked by some superb putting and ball-striking that yielded six birdies in the space of nine holes around the turn.
After leading his team to a pro-am win the day prior, it was enough for Smith to draw within one of the lead by day’s end, Campbell and Dowling both making good use of the favourable morning conditions to set the early pace.
It is familiar territory for Campbell, who birdied the 72nd hole 12 months ago to become the first amateur to win the Queensland PGA Championship in its 92-year history.
He has returned to Nudgee two starts into his professional career and with a runner-up finish a week ago, embracing the extra attention Smith’s inclusion brings.
“It’s kind of new territory for me this week,” admitted Campbell, who played in the group immediately ahead of Smith.
“Coming back and a few more people know my name and obviously playing in front of Cam.
“It is all just a little bit of an accumulation of everything, but I really like that nervous energy.
“I definitely play really well in front of crowds so I’m just going to keep using that into the weekend.”
An impressive two-putt from @GolfAustQLD amateur Billy Dowling, who currently leads the #QldPGA at 6-under par.#TheChaseIsOn pic.twitter.com/4729nqTsYT
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) October 31, 2024
Unlike Campbell, Dowling didn’t bank a cheque for his top-10 finish in South Australia last week but also has strong memories to draw on at Nudgee.
Described by Smith as “one of the shyest kids ever” when he was a scholarship winner in 2022, Dowling was tied for 15th at last year’s Queensland PGA.
His 6-under 66 on Thursday got its kick-start when he hit 4-iron from 197 metres into the par-5 fifth and made the 40-foot putt for eagle.
“It sets you up for a good round,” said Dowling of his early eagle.
“It gets you a few under and then it’s like a little backbone for the rest of the round.
“And then my putting felt pretty good after that. I don’t expect to hole everything but standing over the ball with a putter in the hand, the stroke feels good and then you just believe you can hole more.”
His opening tee shot aside – “Just a really poor shot” – Smith quickly found his stride.
He narrowly missed a birdie chance from close range on 13 and then holed a putt from 25 feet for par on the difficult 14th after hitting his second shot from the left rough into the front bunker, his ball semi-plugged two-thirds up the face.
“That was probably the moment for me. I mean, 2-over early is never a really good start,” said Smith of his sand save.
Twice he left birdie chances just short before converting from 22 feet at the par-4 16th and then getting up-and-down from 75 metres at the par-5 17th.
Tapping into his flair for the creative, Smith hooked one through the trees to set up birdie at the par-5 fourth, two-putted for birdie at the par-5 fifth and chipped in for birdie at the par-4 sixth.
“That’s kind of a really solid round,” Smith added.
“I think it is a really gettable golf course but, given the conditions with how windy and gusty it gets, it’s just hard to kind of control your ball. And you’re left with a bunch of 30, 40-footers it seems.
“It’s nice to roll a couple of those in. If you don’t, you’re kind of back there at 2 or 3-under, and that’s a really solid round too.”
Two late bogeys was all that prevented Ben Eccles (69) from joining Smith at 5-under, the Victorian producing the best of the afternoon rounds played in winds gusting up to 47km/h.
“That back nine, particularly 16, 17 and 18, absolutely brutal,” said Eccles, who is also coached by Smith’s coach, Grant Field.
“I’m pleased with that round in that wind today. Three-under is a good round around here, even without the wind, so I’m pleased with that.”
Although he signed for a 3-over 75, West Australian Brady Watt produced one of the highlights of the day, making a hole-in-one with gap wedge from 138 metres at the par-3 third.
Round 2 begins at 6am AEST on Friday with Smith to tee off at 11:05am AEST.
Photography: Candice High
