Cameron Smith and Jason Day both shot impressive 4-under 67s in the first round of the Australian PGA Championship, held on November 21, 2024, at Royal Queensland in Brisbane, placing them two strokes off the lead.

Only two players in the field, Day and Lee, are ranked in the top 50 globally, with Day at No. 31 and Lee at No. 48.

Elvis Smylie, a 22-year-old local from Gold Coast, emerged as the first-round leader with a score of 65, describing the tournament as a 'home game' due to his familiarity with the course.

Min Woo Lee, the defending champion, shot a 68 and is currently three strokes off the lead, playing in the same group as Day and Smith.

Smith, the 2022 British Open champion, is competing in his third consecutive week on the PGA Tour of Australasia after finishing tied for second at the New South Wales Open last week.

Despite feeling under the weather due to a head cold, which he attributed to recent rainy weather during practice, Smith assured fans he would be fine.

Day, returning to Australia for the first time since 2017, expressed his excitement about being back and noted Smith's popularity among fans.

Smylie expressed confidence in his game, feeling comfortable on the course, and noted the advantage of playing close to home.

Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, shot a 69 in the first round and is now focusing on golf course design.

Next week, many competitors will head to Melbourne for the Australian Open, which will run concurrently with the Women’s Australian Open at prestigious sandbelt courses.

Joel Girrbach, Victor Perez, Cristobal del Solar, and Matias Sanchez are tied for second place with scores of 66, just one stroke behind Smylie.