A defiant Cameron Smith has dismissed retirement rumours and stressed that LIV Adelaide will go ahead next year despite Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund removing its funding of the breakaway league at the end of this season.
Smith, who will tune-up for next week’s PGA Championship at LIV’s Virginia event this week, remained tight-lipped on the LIV’s fate when speaking to Australian media on Wednesday morning.
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“I think it’s just so fresh that there’s nothing really to say,” he told reporters.
“I know the team are working hard behind the scenes and they’re doing everything they can for us.
“I’m excited. I know (LIV CEO) Scott O’Neil is really excited for the challenge in the coming months.”
But Smith, who crossed from the PGA Tour shortly after his 2022 Open Championship triumph at St Andrews on reported deal of roughly $150 million, was willing to open up on the future of LIV Adelaide.
The league’s most successful event has drawn big crowds at The Grange for the past four years and Smith fully expects the move to Kooyonga to go ahead in 2027.
“Absolutely,” Smith replied when asked if he is 100 per cent confident they will be coming back to Adelaide , which holds a contract with LIV until 2031.
“I’m sure it’ll be the same atmosphere. We’ll have the same crowd there. It’ll be another good week,” he added.
Smith also said that he has been given “every assurance” by the LIV hierarchy that the tour will survive, while later adding “I definitely haven’t really heard anything” when asked about the players knew the reasoning for the PIF’s removal of their funding.
What is clear is that any further news about LIV’s survival will not be coming from Smith: “I promise you’ll hear it first from someone else other than me.”
What is not clear, however, is how the Australian will navigate the current murky waters.
After Bryson DeChambeau spoke of potentially diving deeper into YouTube golf if LIV does collapse, and Jon Rahm announced a peace deal with the DP World Tour, Smith admitted any potential next move remains up in the air.
Australian golf circles had been hearing whispers of the former world No.2 retiring if LIV and his beloved all-Australian team, Ripper GC, was no more.
In the past, Smith has been open about not enjoying the weekly grind during his PGA Tour days as well as struggling with home sickness as the busy schedule limited opportunities for him to get home to Brisbane.
Those comments along with his recent struggles in the majors – having missed a career worst six cuts in a row – led to speculation that Smith may be content with ditching the golf course for his fishing boat more often.
But the Queenslander insisted that will not be the case.
“I’m 32 so I’ve got a while yet,” he replied.
“I haven’t been asked that question before, that’s good.”
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Smith also stressed that he is fiercely determined to win another major and overcome his worrying slump on the biggest stages.
He said he has recently made changes within his team and is working to fix aspects of swing after a disappointing second round at The Masters resulted in him missing the weekend.
LIV’s issues have made his resurgence plans a little more complicated, however.
Even if Smith insists he does not let it impact his practice, preparation and play.
“I think since joining LIV, I’ve learnt to deal with speculation and reports so it hasn’t really changed what I’m doing day-to-day,” he said.
Last week’s announcement that LIV New Orleans, scheduled to take place in July, has been postponed due to financial concerns has created an unwanted gap in their schedule.
There will now be no LIV tournament between the US Open at Shinnecock Hills and The Open at Royal Birkdale.
The likes of Rahm and Smith’s Ripper GC teammate Elvis Smylie will be able to play in Europe during that time as they have cut deals with the DP World Tour.
Smith may have to follow that path, but if he is unable to do so, he floated the prospect of playing rounds near his home in Jacksonville, Florida with fellow LIV stars to prepare for a shot at a second Claret Jug.
“I’m not sure yet. Obviously pretty fresh news coming out just only last week,” he said.
“I think I would like to play an event in between there. Or maybe get the guys up and play some competitive golf in ‘Jacks’.
“I think a few of us will be there. It will be important to stay on top of the competitive stuff.
“Coming out of a long break sometimes can be good for you game, but not necessarily for the competition aspect and being under the pump and stuff.
“I’m trying to figure that out at the moment.”
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PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman has no doubt that whatever unfolds with the LIV Tour, the Aussies who feature on it will be able to forge a successful path forward.
Declaring Smith was “too young to retire”, he said the body plans to sit down with the 2022 British Open champion and his management team later this month.
“Our focus is on Cam. Marc Leishman has still got a lot of golf to play. Elvis Smylie is a superstar and Lucas Herbert is capable of winning a major,” he told reporters.
“Those four players are very important to Australian golf. We can’t make decisions for them, but this is where we hope the global golf ecosystem really comes together, because I can say that all the tour and all the majors want the best golfers playing.”
While uncertainty clearly surrounds the future of the breakaway tour, Kirkman said the event in Australia helped re-energise the sport across the country.
“We should call out the success of the LIV Golf events which have helped Australian golf,” he said.
“We’ve had a very successful Australian Open supported by the Australian PGA Championship, and the women also had four LET events in a row this season. The fans are saying we want more golf and to bring the big events (to Australia).”
Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the national organisation was “not blind or ignorant” regarding the focus that is currently on the LIV Tour.
The Ripper GC team led by Smith also has a role in developing junior golfers across the country, while the South Australian Government is investing $45 million on a development of the North Adelaide Golf Club, which was due to host the Australian LIV event in 2028.
“We are certainly not blind or ignorant to some of the discussions going on with LIV,” he said.
“I have certainly spoken to people on the management side (of the Ripper team) and I think they are obviously working through that. There seems to be a lot of uncertainty as to how this is going to play out.”
He said the four Aussies on the team had the full support of Golf Australia.
“The four guys on the Ripper team, we’re super proud of them as great golfers and we love the fact they come back and play in our major tournaments every year,” he said.
“I’m sure that will continue to happen. We’re supportive of them and their choices to play on whatever tour they want.”
Smith also addressed Ripper GC’s connection with Golf Australia’s junior golf program MyGolf, saying protecting LIV Adelaide is essential to the growth of the sport in his home country.
“I think the more times we can get kids to junior clinics and all the other stuff we do down there, the better for the game in Australia,” he said.
“I’d love to have 40 events down there, I’d play them.
“It’s just not how it is. Absolutely I want to be there more often playing events.”
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