Cameron Smith returns, entries open for junior classic at Wantima

Entries for the 2022 Cameron Smith Junior Classic (CSJC) have opened – with a stunning incentive for those registered to play.

Cameron Smith, ranked two in the world, is returning to Wantima Country Club in Brendale for the first time in three years and will host a special clinic for all entrants.

It will be held before round one of the expanded two-day 36-hole stroke play tournament, on Thursday December 8 and Friday December 9.

Event organiser Ken McKay said he received confirmation today Smith, who grew up in Bray Park and went to Pine Rivers State High School, would be at the event named after him.

This has been Smith’s most successful year winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions, The Players Championship and in July his first major championship - the 150^th (British) Open at St Andrews.

Smith has been unable to return to Australia since 2019 due to COVID-19 and his playing schedule in the US. But that will change in a fraction over 12 weeks.

The CSJC has a maximum entry of 128 players and Mr McKay said he was “fairly confident” that would be achieved.

“A lot of hard work went into the tournament in the first two couple of years and we have really rejigged it, rather than reinvented it, this year,” he said.

Picture special from 2021 - click through

Entries for the CSJC, which will have Golf Queensland ranking points for the first time, are to be made here through the MiTournament.com portal.

It is also the opening event in the 2023 Greg Norman Junior Masters (GNJM) series.

The CSJC is open to male and female golfers with a Golf Australia handicap and who must be financial members of Junior Golf Queensland to qualify for the GNJM.

This year the CSJC will be held over 36 holes for the first time. Players must play both days to win, though there will be prizes at the end of day one.

Cameron Smith will host the golf clinic at 10am on December 8, before a player briefing and shot gun start at noon.

Scores on day one will be used for the tee times on day two, which will have a seeded draw starting with Male C Grade, then Female C Grade followed by A and B Grade players.

Cameron Smith Junior Classic winners:

2017: Boys’ champion Tyler Duncan; Girls’ champion Lion Higo

2018: Boys’ champion Mitchell Hennessy; Girls’ champion Chloe Nam

2019: Boys’ champion Andrew Park; Girls’ champion Haruhi Nakatani

2020: Boys’ champion Harry Takis; Girls’ champion Justice Bosio

2021: Boys’ champion Manato Nakatani; Girls’ champion Haruhi Nakatani