GOLD COAST, Australia — Cameron Smith shot a final-round 70 to successfully defend his Australian PGA title with a two-stroke victory over Marc Leishman on Sunday.
Smith finished with a 16-under par total of 272. Leishman closed with a 69.
England's Ross McGowan shot a course-record 63 to finish tied for third, five strokes behind.
"There's always a few missed opportunities. I played lovely today," McGowan said. "I'm really happy to shoot nine under and didn't really see a score like that out there but when I hit a few irons close and made the putts, it made life a little easier."
He improved on Jordan Zunic's third round of 64 from last year at Royal Pines.
American Harold Varner III, who won the tournament in 2016 and has finished second in a playoff and sixth in three Australian PGAs at Royal Pines, shot 75 and finished tied for 16th.
Smith is the first player since Robert Allenby in 2001 to win consecutive Australian PGA titles. Greg Norman (1984-85) and Ken Nagle (1958-59) are among the few others to have achieved the feat.
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