With the second round of the Australian PGA Championship now complete, a clear picture is emerging at the top of the leaderboard.
Local players have put on a strong showing thus far, with five Australians currently ranked among the top seven. Leading the pack is Kazuma Kobori, who is 10-under after an impressive eight-under second round.
Despite that, there has been plenty of disappointment for Australian fans, as Cameron Smith missed the cut after his 75 on day two undid his promising start.
He was not alone in struggling this week. One of the pre-tournament favourites, Joaquin Niemann, along with a recently minted PGA Tour player, also found things tough going.
New PGA Tour player struggles in Australia
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen’s first event as a PGA Tour player did not go to plan. The Norwegian, who secured his card through the DP World Tour top-10 route, struggled to a five-over finish, sitting well down the leaderboard in 140th place.
He carded a 74 on day one and could not bounce back, following it with a 73 that included five bogeys and two doubles across his two rounds. He was not alone though – several high-profile names also had weeks they will want to move past.
Niemann, along with Smith and Neergaard-Petersen, is expected to miss the cut in Australia, having finished at level par. His two rounds of 71 placed him two strokes below the projected cut line. Despite winning five times on the LIV Golf tour this season, the Chilean star’s inconsistency ultimately cost him the title, which went to Jon Rahm.
And unfortunately for Niemann, performances like this have become increasingly common for him.
Australian players making early impact
At the top end of the leaderboard, several Australians are right in the mix. Min Woo Lee, fresh off his first PGA Tour win at the 2025 Houston Open, sits at eight under, just two shots behind the leader. Adam Scott, Australia’s first Masters champion, is also well placed at six under after back-to-back rounds of 68.
Steve Williams made a surprise return to caddying for this event and brings plenty of experience from his 14 major wins alongside Tiger Woods. That has been a boost for Anthony Quale, who is tied for second after two rounds.
Josele Ballester from LIV Golf is another name to keep an eye on after his win at the Saudi International.
Also worth noting is Marco Penge’s performance. Despite dealing with illness throughout the week, Penge shot a second-round 65 to stay within reach of the leaders. The Spaniard moved to seven under with one round to play.
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