Fatigued Smith struggling at Aussie Open

Cameron Smith has cited mental burnout for the pre-tournament favourite being a non-factor over the first three rounds of the Australian Open at The Lakes.

Smiths two-under-par 70 on Saturday was his best return of the Open and left him one under for the championship.

The world No.33 and Australia's top-ranked player in the field isn't giving up but will need a golfing miracle on Sunday to reel in runaway leader Abraham Ancer from 12 strokes back.

Smith admits it's been a grind all week.

"I have been playing a lot of golf lately. I probably am due for a break but I just love coming back and playing in Oz," Smith said.

"It's kind of been a bit of a struggle probably the last month, month-and-a-half.

"Those Asian tournaments as well, it was kind of the same things as well.

"I really don't know what it is. I'm doing everything I can. Whether I'm playing maybe a little bit too aggressive or I'm not playing aggressive enough, I'm not sure. I'm still trying to figure it out."

Just like the US PGA Tour star is trying to figure out the seventh hole at The Lakes.

The 160-metre par-3 has been Smith's undoing all tournament.

After taking bogeys in the first and second rounds, he chalked up a double on Saturday in an otherwise decent round featuring three birdies and a bounce-back eagle on the eighth.

"It's just one of those awkward holes for me, I guess," Smith said.

"I just stand up on the tee there and I'm umming and ahhing about what I should be doing and I just get over the ball and don't feel comfortable."

Smith is hoping to produce a Sunday 64 to at least make a run up the leaderboard.

"If I can get off to a reasonable start and get myself up there, the back nine with the way it is with those three par fives, anything can really happen," he said.

"So I've just got to dig deep and, hopefully, I can go out there and shoot a good one."

In any case, Smith will head to Melbourne next week to partner Marc Leishman at the World Cup of Golf, before attempting to defend his Australian PGA Championship crown on the Gold Coast before taking a well-earned break.

"There was really no choice for me to have a break so I'll have a pretty decent break after the PGA," he said.

"I probably won't touch a club for a couple of weeks and have Chrissy at home, so I'm looking forward to that."