Golf: Cameron Smith all smiles as world No.2 explains decision to join Greg Norman’s LIV Golf

Some have suggested his legacy could be affected, but there was no talking Cameron Smith out of taking the $140m LIV offer.

Cameron Smith says LIV Golf is the future. Picture: Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf/via Getty Images

Cameron Smith has revealed he’d been in negotiations to join LIV Golf “for months” and said there was nothing the PGA Tour could have done to change his mind.

As the world No.2 outlined his reasons for making the shift to Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed group, Smith said his family’s excitement, knowing he could spend more time in Australia, was enough to convince him he’d made the right call.

Smith jumped ship courtesy of a $140m offer from LIV and will captain an all-Australian team called “Punch”, which includes great mate Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Wade Ormsby in Boston this week.

He declared the new 54-hole, no-cut, limited field events the “future of golf”.

The Queenslander said he let his management deal with initial discussions about joining LIV before talking to Norman and even sitting down with PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan, who couldn’t talk the British Open champion out of moving.

“My life has definitely changed over the last couple of months after the British Open. I’ve had a few phone calls with players, I sat down with Jay, we had a good conversation,” Smith said in Boston.

“But this for me was the right decision. You know, I think this is the future of golf. I think it‘s been the same for a very, very long time, and it needs to be stirred up a little bit.

“I’m really comfortable with this decision to be out here. I think this is the new thing. I’m excited about it, and it’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait for this to grow.

All smiles from Cam 😁 #LIVGolfpic.twitter.com/lwajOQwd1o

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) August 31, 2022

“For me the biggest attraction was spending more time at home, getting that part of my life back. It’s something that I’ve really missed.

“I think obviously the pandemic that we‘ve had over the last couple years didn’t really help out, but for me to be able to go home, see my family, and play golf there more often, that was a really big up for me.”

Smith said his mum, who he went two years without seeing before she flew to the US earlier this year, was his first call after confirming his move.

“I haven‘t been able to see her very often. She was just pumped that I could come home to be honest,” he said.

“Spending a longer period of time at home; being able to have Christmas at home, it’s going to be awesome.”

“My friends and family have been right behind the decision. They love it. They think it’s exciting as well. Apart from the golf bit, just having more time at home.”

Leishman said he was willing to cop criticism, which has come from those who believe the LIV golfers are helping with Saudi Arabia’s “sportswashing” of their appalling human rights record.

“I think any big decision you make in life there’s a potential to get criticism, and with that, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. There’s no right or wrong to their opinion and they have their opinion for their own reasons,” he said.

“As much as they are entitled to that, we are entitled to make a decision that’s in our best interests. So you deal with that criticism the best you can and try and block it out to be honest.”

The teams are set ✅#LIVGolf#LIVGolfBostonpic.twitter.com/5W09PyIFF7

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) August 31, 2022

Both Smith and Leishman said it was “unfair” LIV golfers couldn’t’ get world ranking points, and both also suggested they were still hopeful of being able to play the Presidents Cup later this month, which is run by the PGA Tour.

“I have spoken to (captain Trevor Immelman) and Marc has as well. We are still willing to compete in that. I hope we can,” Smith said.

“Trevor has become a really good friend of mine over the last couple years, him being on the broadcast team out there. But I hope we can get to Charlotte and represent Trevor and the Internationals.”

Marc Leishman has jumped ship to LIV Golf. Picture: Rob Carr/Getty Images

Leishman said the International team should be made up of players from all tours.

“It’s going to hurt the product and I don’t know if it’s a true International team. I guess you have to be in good standing with the PGA Tour to be a member of that team, and that’s their rules and we abide by them,” he said.

“But I don‘t know if that’s the best thing for the Presidents Cup going forward, having to be in good standing. I think if it was a true International team, you could be playing on any tour.”

Originally published as Golf: Cameron Smith all smiles as world No.2 explains decision to join Greg Norman’s LIV Golf