Cam Smith was among players tapped for slow play at the PGA which will be in focus at the Australian Open

Cam Smith got a tap on the shoulder at the wrong time on Sunday but slow play won’t be concerning him in his quest for the Australian Open.

Cam Smith had his troubles off the tee in the Australian PGA which added to slow play. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Cam Smith sent his caddie ahead of him to a soggy Kingston Heath on Monday armed with “more motivation” to win his first Australian Open as tournament officials declared there was no room for slow play at the dual-gender event.

Smith was given a hurry up on the 18th tee in the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland on Sunday where he finished runner-up to Elvis Smylie , who was given a similar warning the hole before amid a clampdown on the issue becoming a scourge.

Pace of play has become a major talking point in golf, particularly on the LPGA Tour with world No.1 Nelly Korda calling for action at the season-ending championship in Florida last week

“I just think it really drags the game down.I think that it really, really needs to change,” she said.

Cam Smith looking for balls added to slow play at Royal Queensland. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Nick Dastey, the general manager of tournaments for the PGA of Australia, said the policy in place was clear and suggested the spotlighted warnings to both Smith and Smylie were part of a “standard week”.

Players are supposed to take 40 seconds to play shots and a round set to be played in an “expected time”.

There’s little margin for error at the Australian Open with two tournaments, the men’s and women’s, as well as the All-Abilities event being played across Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs in Melbourne.

But Dastey said there would be no extra warnings for players after the incidents in Brisbane, which also included Danish star Jacob Skov Olesen being penalised for slow play, in his first tournament as a professional.

“Nothing will change. Last week was a standard week, that sort of thing happens week in, week out,” he told NewsWire on Monday.

“Yes, some of it probably happened on a couple of the TV groups and they were highlighted a little bit more.

“We have a strong pace of play policy, we share a similar policy to the DP World Tour, we are playing a co-sanctioned event, it was business as usual from our end.

“We set an expected time for the players to take. All players, all groups are monitored throughout the day.”

Danielle Kang is fired up to play in the unique mixed format 🤝 #AusOpenGolfpic.twitter.com/2pPNb200rx

— Golf Australia ⛳️ (@GolfAust) November 25, 2024

Major champion and former world No.2, Danielle Kang, who is playing the Australian open on an invitation, said that while golf is a “finesse” game and with millions on the line players should be given time, players should all play “ready golf”.

“Just gotta be honest, guys, golf is slow, it just takes a long time,” she said.

“You’re playing for millions of dollars. How about if you’re about to win a major championship, and you got a putt and it’s breaking three feet, you just gotta give them some time.

“There is another argument that playing under 40 seconds is also a skill.

“For me, I really don’t care that much whether a player is slow, as long as they let me go first. So if they say, go ahead, I just wait on the green.”

Monday reps 💪⛳️

Just 3 days until the #AusOpenGolf begins 👀 pic.twitter.com/Qi0OHdfQXN

— Golf Australia ⛳️ (@GolfAust) November 25, 2024

Former child prodigy Karl Vilips, playing his first Australian Open as a professional, said pace of play was discussed among the younger generation of players, but didn’t think harsh penalties were the way to go.

“I’m not the fastest, but I’m a big fan of ready golf. If you’re ready to play, just go ahead,” he said.

“But, like Danielle said, I mean, if you’re trying to win a tournament, you know, you just got to take in all things into account, and that takes time.

“I don’t think that we need to really be pushing for people to be losing shots over, you know, a few seconds over the ball.”

Smith didn’t lose the PGA by taking too long over his ball, but more three three-putts which left him “pissed off” and keen for redemption at the Open.

His caddie, Sam Pinfold, was doing recon on Monday, with Smith’s fire well and truly fuelled in what will be the fourth of four home events in a row.

“I feel lie the last couple of weeks … I’ve kind of done all the right things and had a day in there where things have’nt gone my way,” he said.

“Sop hopefully we can get through that next week, just keep digging. It’s definitely some more motivation.”