Golf news: LIV Tour v PGA tour latest, Rory McIlroy on new tour events, Cameron Smith’s call

Rory McIlroy has revealed he has spoken to Cam Smith about his potential defection to the LIV tour but will it be enough to change the Aussie world No.2’s mind?

Golf’s big guns have personally intervened in a bid to keep Cameron Smith from the clutches of Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed rebel tour.

Rory McIlroy has revealed that he spoke to Smith following the Australian’s win at St Andrew’s last month to make sure the Open winner was aware of what he would be leaving behind if he took the big money on offer from Norman and LIV Golf.

McIlroy and the rest of the golfing world will find out whether his advice had the desired effect as early as next week - Smith is expected to announce his plans at the conclusion of the Tour Championship on Monday morning.

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Rory McIlroy has revealed he spoke with Cam Smith about the LIV tour to make sure the Aussie is ‘completely informed’ Picture: Supplied

Revelations of McIlroy’s intervention in the fight to keep Smith came as the PGA Tour announced a series of changes in a bid to combat the LIV Tour, prompting Norman to fire back on social media with a pointed barb at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

After Monahan announced that the PGA Tour’s elite players had committed to at last 20 events, including 12 tournments with increased prize money, Norman posted an image suggesting the PGA Tour had ostensibly plagiarised LIV’s schedule.

Norman posted under a meme; ”A day late and a dollar short @pgamemes.” The meme pictured Monahan and Norman with the PGA Tour commissioner saying: “Hey, can I copy your homework?” Norman replies: “Sure, just make it look different so it doesn’t look too obvious.”

The latest spat between Norman and Monahan comes as LIV prepares to strike another blow in golf’s civil war.

It has been widely reported that Smith, as well as compatriot Marc Leishman, will be among as many as seven players to switch camps after the Tour Championship comes to an end on Monday morning.

Smith is in the mix to win the big prize of $US18 million, although an even bigger pot of money is waiting for him if he decides to join Norman - it has been reported that he could receive upwards of $US100 million to join LIV.

McIlroy took it upon himself to try to dissuade Smith from jumping ship, revealed he spoke to the world No.2 only days after the Australian celebrated the biggest moment of his career.

“I had a conversation with Cameron Smith two days after the Open, and firstly, I wanted to congratulate him,” McIlroy told media at the announcement of the PGA Tour’s latest initiatives.

“Guys that are thinking one way or another, honestly I don’t care if they leave or not - it’s not going to make a difference to me.

Rory McIlroy doesn’t care what decision other golfers make, but he hopes they have all the information they need to make an informed decision on the LIV golf tour. Picture: AFP

“But I would at least like people to make a decision that is completely informed and basically know this is what’s coming down the pipeline. This is what you may be leaving behind.

“I just don’t want people making decisions by hearing information from one side. I’ve always said guys can do whatever they want but make decisions based on all of the facts.

“Sometimes I don’t think some guys made those decisions based on having all the facts in front of them.”

While Smith prepares to announce his plans, the PGA Tour and its loyalist players have acted after Tiger Woods fronted a meeting last week to discuss ways to combat the LIV threat.

As well as increased prize money and more elite tournaments, the PGA Tour have guaranteed fully-exempt players a minimum salary of $US500,000 and $US5,000 even if they miss the cut.

McIlroy and Woods have also joined forces with the PGA Tour for a Monday Night Golf League, where teams will compete in stadiums on virtual courses.