Cameron Smith was denied a maiden Australian Open title in the most heartbreaking of manners, three putting for bogey at the last as Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen pulled off an all time up-and-down to win by a shot at Royal Melbourne.
The Australian appeared to be in the box seat after their approaches with Smith finding the back of the green after the Dane pushed his second shot right and ended up in a horrible spot behind a greenside bunker.
Neergaard-Petersen then somehow hacked his ball out about ten feet past the pin, while Smith left himself a nervy par putt to force a playoff after the 26-year-old came up clutch with the putter in hand, saving par in what he told reporters at Royal Melbourne was a “one in 100” play.
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Smith’s attempt to send the contest to extra holes agonisingly slid by, and the collective groans of the 33,408 spectators summed up the mood as Australia’s drought in the national open will extend to a seventh year.
Even Neergaard-Petersen said he felt for Smith after the gut-wrenching miss, saying “we’ve all been there”.
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The vocal crowd were ecstatic one hole earlier when Smith drained a clutch mid-range birdie putt at the 17th to stay level at after the Dane almost made eagle at the par 5.
Smith’s second shot ended up in the crowd as he pulled it left of the green, but he leant on his stellar short game to ensure he stayed in a share of the lead.
Going down the last, he looked the likely champion for much of the walk from tee to green, until the Dane held his nerve when it mattered most to sign off on a one-under par final round of 70 to finish -15 for the tournament.
“It’s hard. I’m really at a loss for words,” Neergaard-Petersen told broadcaster Ewan Porter besides the 18th green moments after claiming victory.
“It’s been a battle all day. Even on the outside sometimes you can look calm, but it was a storm inside all day today. I managed to just keep battling and then to get it up-and-down from there – to make that putt on the last – is just, I don’t really know what to say to be honest.”
Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen celebrates after sinking his putt on the 18th during the final round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)Source: AP
Neergaard-Petersen, who is bound for the PGA Tour next season after a stellar year in Europe, also earned the coveted spot at The Masters on offer to the winner.
Twelve months ago, the Dane was playing on the secondary tour in Europe and is still not long out of his time in America as a college student at Oklahoma State.
He won three times on the Hotel Planner Tour last year, but despite racking up five top five finishes this year, he had not been in the winner’s circle in 2025 until now.
“It means the world,” he said. “The Masters is something I’ve grown up watching so many times. Dreaming of playing it. So to do that is awesome.
“It’s gone by so fast. I don’t feel like it’s been two and a half years since I’ve been out of college.
“I haven’t even been a pro for that long so to get the win here in my final event of the season, it was the only thing missing from a perfect season. So happy.”
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 07: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen of Denmark poses with the Stonehaven Cup after victory on day four of the Crown Australian Open 2025 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club on December 07, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Smith will still be at Augusta next April courtesy of his five-year exemption for winning the 2022 Open Championship, but the sting of this defeat will last for a long time.
He was won the Australian PGA Championship three times, but has not yet captured the Australian Open title he so desperately craves.
Before the disappointment of the last, he had his chances throughout a two-under par final round of 69 that included five birdies.
Smith held the outright lead before dropping a shot at the 12th, when he flew at a pinned tucked in the back right corner but missed by only a few metres and found himself short sided in the bunker.
A two-shot swing ensued as Neergaard-Petersen dropped a mighty birdie putt.
The week as a whole was a significant turnaround in form for Smith given he had missed the cut in seven previous world ranking events, including all four majors this year, but as well as himself for the missed putt at the last, the 32-year-old will also be cursing the bad bounce off a pine cone on the sixth that cost him a shot after he tried to run the ball back into the fairway.
Australia’s Cameron Smith watched his putt on the 14th during the final round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)Source: AP
Korea’s Si Woo Kim tussled with Neergaard-Petersen and Smith all day in the final group, but came up two shots short.
He walks away with the consolation prize of a spot in next year’s Open Championship, and he may also have played his way onto the Presidents Cup team next year.
Kim came down under to impress International team captain Geoff Ogilvy and he surely would have accomplished that goal this week.
South Africa’s Michael Hollick and Adam Scott will be joining Kim at Royal Birkdale in July after they nabbed the other two places for the three highest finishers not already exempt.
Hollick came from the clouds with the low round of the day, a six-under par 65, to finish fourth at -12, while Scott ended in fifth at -11 after a final round 70.
Min Woo Lee fell away with a disappointing 74 to drop back to -7, the same mark as Rory McIlroy.
The career grand slam winner carded a 69 to cap off his Australian Open return, treating the crowds with back-to-back birdies to end his tournament.
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