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Davis skips US event for Aus Open defence

3 minute read

Cameron Davis will forego an important PGA Tour start to defend his Australian Open title in Sydney in November.

CAMERON DAVIS of Australia hits his tee shot on the second hole during the of the Nashville Golf Open at the Nashville Golf and Athletic Club in Nashville, Tennessee.
CAMERON DAVIS of Australia hits his tee shot on the second hole during the of the Nashville Golf Open at the Nashville Golf and Athletic Club in Nashville, Tennessee. Picture: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

A patriotic Cameron Davis says his childhood dream of defending golf's Australian Open made sacrificing one of five early PGA Tour starts an easy decision.

The Sydney native was recently promoted to the lucrative American top flight through the secondary Web.com Tour finals and is likely to receive five PGA Tour starts before the 50 graduates are subjected to a reshuffle in late November, which determines their eligibility for tournaments.

Davis will commence his rookie campaign at the PGA Tour's season opener in California next week, before events in Mississippi, Las Vegas and Mexico.

However, the 23-year-old will forego the RSM Classic in Georgia - the last event before the graduate reshuffle - in favour of teeing up at the Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club that week.

At eighth on the reshuffle index, Davis is in a healthy position and insisted he would not miss an opportunity to retain the Stonehaven Cup.

"I don't feel it was too tough a decision," Davis told AAP.

"Any PGA Tour event is important but I definitely feel it's worth coming home and playing in front of friends and family.

"It's my national open; it's a big deal and I'm defending champion and it's pretty exciting to see if I can back it up."

At last year's Open, Davis fired a final round 64 at The Australian Golf Club to beat PGA Tour players Jonas Blixt and Matt Jones by a shot, while also holding off 54-hole leader Jason Day.

Davis used his emotional victory as inspiration during the Web.com Tour season, where he won the Nashville Open in May before securing his PGA Tour card with two third-place results in the Web.com finals series.

He aims to play the Australian summer tournaments annually while juggling his burgeoning career in the US.

"I've always wanted to play the Australian Open, the PGA and the big (home) events," Davis said.

"I want to make that more of a thing; playing in Australia. I want to be able to do that every year I can."

Davis's defence of his title is a boost to Open organisers who are reeling at the absence of several stars including former world No.1 Day, Marc Leishman and Adam Scott.

However, PGA Tour star Cameron Smith is set to contest the Open and the world No.32 will also represent Australia at the World Cup in Melbourne.

Open organisers have confirmed American veterans Brandt Snedeker - a nine time PGA Tour winner - and world No.33 Matt Kuchar will tee it up in November.

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