BRISBANE, Australia — Joel Moscatel led the Australian PGA Championship with a course-record 63 seconds on Thursday and missed the DP World Tour card on a day when Cam Smith’s title defense got off to a shaky start. I overcame my disappointment.
The 25-year-old Spaniard missed out on a full card by one shot in last week’s qualifying tournament, but finished the first round of the European Tour season at eight under par at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
Moscatel is one stroke behind Lee Min-woo.
“It was a crazy day. We were very present and enjoyed playing golf,” Moscatel said of himself and his caddy.
John Rylas finished third on six under, while Adam Scott had six players on five under, including Scotland’s Connor Syme and Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune.
Scott was 1 over through five holes, but made five birdies in the sixth hole near the turn and two more in the final three holes to finish with a 66 and increase his chances of winning his third Australian PGA title. Ta.
“I’m really happy that I played a solid round and got off to a good start,” Scott said.
The same can’t be said for defending champion and local favorite Cam Smith, who opened with a 73 and was 2 over.
“I was frustrated, I was upset…nothing really progressed,” Smith said.
The tournament is jointly sanctioned by the European and Australian tours, and when Smith won in 2017, it marked his first title on the European Tour.
Founded in 1920 and located on the north bank of the Brisbane River, Royal Queensland is the proposed golf venue for the 2032 Olympic Games.