Campbell ready to assume top billing at Queensland PGA - PGA of Australia

Campbell ready to assume top billing at Queensland PGA


Defending champion Phoenix Campbell is ready to become the “main attraction” as Cameron Smith clawed his way back into contention late on day three of the Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club.

Campbell (73) birdied his final hole of Round 3 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round as WA Open runner-up Jak Carter (66) and 2023 Gippsland Super 6 winner Kerry Mountcastle (64) played their way into the final group with the two best rounds of the day.

Smith’s third round began with nine straight pars before a plugged second shot into the bunker at the par-4 10th led to his first bogey of the day.

A second followed when he failed to get up-and-down at the par-4 14th but birdies at 15, 17 and 18 has left the 2022 Open champion just three strokes back going into the final round.

After two days playing in front of Smith, Campbell was in the group behind on Saturday and hopes to draw a few more spectators back from Cam’s caravan of followers on Sunday.

“It’s actually really weird,” said Campbell.

“I didn’t feel like the main attraction today. I definitely wasn’t, despite leading the tournament.

“It’s a different vibe. It’s really cool to see so many people out and hopefully tomorrow there’ll be more people out again.

“I’m really looking forward to using the energy of the crowd.

“I play my best golf on Sunday so I’m really excited to get going.

“I feel like I can lift and play my best golf tomorrow.”

Conceding that his energy levels fluctuated as he made four bogeys in five holes around the turn, the 23-year-old responded with birdie at the par-3 11th – the second-hardest hole all week – and two more at 15 and 18 to edge one clear of Carter.

Carter was the 54-hole leader at Nudgee two years ago and is chasing redemption having made double-bogey on the 72nd hole to miss the playoff ultimately won by Aaron Wilkin.

“A hundred percent. A hundred percent,” Carter said after playing the back nine in 6-under 30.

“But I’m just heading out there tomorrow and playing golf because that’s all we can do.

“Just keep playing smart, wait to hole some putts and then just start going on a tear. Which was exactly what happened today.”

Even par through nine holes, Carter hit a wedge to three feet for birdie on 10, did the same on 12 to move to 2-under and then holed an 8-iron from 153 metres for eagle at the par-4 13th.

“The moment I hit it I was like, That’s exactly as I wanted to hit it,” Carter added.

“We were walking down there and bang, it was in the hole.”

Mountcastle delivered the round of the tournament less than 24 hours after hatching plans to head home.

During Friday’s weather delay and with two holes left to play, Mountcastle looked for an early flight back to New Zealand. When play resumed, he holed an eight-footer for par on 17 and made birdie on 18 to ensure he had some money to play for over the weekend.

“My mindset yesterday afternoon wasn’t great actually when we had our delay, I was looking at flights to go home,” Mountcastle admitted.

“Consistent golf out there is not easy. There’s a lot of ebbs and flows. Today had nine birdies and a bogey, whereas yesterday I had six bogeys and four birdies.”

Midway through the front nine, Smith found himself seven shots behind Campbell and struggling to stay inside the top 10.

“I did what I had to do today,” said Smith, who will tee off in the second-to-last group at 11:22am AEST on Sunday with Lucas Higgins (71) and 2022 Cameron Smith Scholarship holder, Billy Dowling (75).

“Tough to get going I guess is the right term.

“I feel like I did a lot of things right today, especially on that front nine. Just couldn’t get anything going and couldn’t get any putts to drop.

“It was just very frustrating but stuck in there.

“I was hitting the ball great and then holed a couple of putts at the end.”

The final round of the Queensland PGA Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 11:30am-4:30pm AEST.

Entry for spectators is free with the first group to tee off at 8:16am and the final group to go off at 11:33am.


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