Cameron Smith, the Open champion, struggled at the Australian Open following a difficult experience at the Australian PGA Championship a week before. As other players like Cam Davis and Min Woo Lee excelled, Smith hit the water trap twice in the early stages of the tournament. Another prominent player, Matt Jones, was also involved in some early controversy, copping a two-stroke penalty on the first hole due to a mistake with preferred lies. On the other hand, Adam Scott had a mixed opening round with the final hole bogeying, while Davis took full advantage of the perfect morning conditions to secure a lead in the tournament. Smith steadied in his back nine, but concerns have been raised about his performance. Notably, amateur Rachel Lee managed to shock the field, finishing at the top of the women’s competition.