Golf: Cameron Smith alive in chase for $25m payday at Tour Championship after round with LIV critic Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy tried to talk Cameron Smith out of his reported move to LIV golf and then they played together at the Tour Championship.

Cameron Smith and Rory McIlroy had vastly different rounds. Picture: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy said it was “business as usual” playing with Cameron Smith at the Tour Championship after revelations he had counselled the world number two about his potential move to LIV golf following the British Open.

The handicap start at the $25m Tour Championship put Smith, and McIlroy, behind the eight ball before they teed off and then world No.1 Scottie Scheffler put his foot down in the opening round to take a solid grasp of the huge payday.

In what could be his last PGA Tour event before a move to LIV Golf, Smith, the world No.2, cost himself shots by not playing in last week’s BMW Championship because of a hip injury, starting six behind Scheffler before the event had even begun.

Before the start of the season-ending, 30 player event there were mixed views on whether the staggered leaderboard, determined by results throughout the FedEx Cup playoffs, was the ideal way to decide the best player of the year.

The Queenslander steered himself around the rain-affected East Lakes golf club in Atlanta with four birdies and an eagle, as well as two bogeys, in his opening 67.

Feeling all the emotions after @McIlroyRory's first round @PlayoffFinalepic.twitter.com/QYQWUpDUQs

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 26, 2022

But Smith still finds himself a mammoth eight shots behind Scheffler, who took advantage of his advantage, pushing a two-shot lead to start the event out to five, with his opening 65 the second-best score of the day.

McIlroy, who shot the same score as Smith but in wildy different fashion on his roller-coaster round, said it was a “nice pairing” and there was no issues having revealed before the tournament that he called the Australian following his Open win as rumours of a move to Greg Norman’s LIV golf swirled.

“It was business as usual; Cam and I get on really well and we always have,” McIlroy said.

“Again, no matter what decisions are made or what choices are made by anyone, it doesn’t make them a bad person. Does it make me disagree with them? Of course it does.

“But I disagree with a lot of people that I like and love. If anything, he’s a really good guy to play with because he plays pretty quick, and he has a nice rhythm. So it’s a nice pairing.”

FedExCup leader Scottie Scheffler leads by five strokes after the first round of the TOUR Championship, tying the largest lead after any round since Starting Strokes was implemented in 2019 (5/Dustin Johnson/2020/R3)

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) August 25, 2022

Scheffler left the chasers in his wake and is in prime position to secure what would be a fifth victory for 2022, with Smith and the rest of the elite field seemingly playing for the minor placings and the huge cheques that come with them.

Second place is rewarded with $10m, and everyone who finishes inside the top 10 earns at least $1.5m.

“It‘s a bit strange … that’s why I talk a lot about not looking at the leaderboards and stuff like that,” Scheffler said.

“Because if I try and go out and do my best and pretend like I’m trying to win a regular stroke-play event for four days, I think I’m going to be in a good position come Sunday afternoon, so that’s going to be my plan going forward.”

Smith ensured he stayed in contention with a stunning three-wood, from a fairway bunker, on the sixth hole that turned into an eagle.

Cameron Smith’s three wood out of a bunker set up an eagle. Picture: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

His rather smooth round was in stark contrast to Smith’s playing partner Rory McIlroy, who went on a wild rollercoaster ride.

He opened with a triple bogey, went bogey-birdie at the second and third holes as well as the fourth and fifth holes, then eagled the par-5 sixth before closing his round with birdies on four of the last five holes.

McIlroy said it was “business as usual” playing with Smith, having revealed before the tournament he spoke to the Aussie about his potential move to LIV, letting him in on all the changes announced this week by the PGA Tour.

Adam Scott, the only other Australian at the Tour Championship, opened with a two-under 68 and finds himself 13 shots behind Scheffler.

But even finishing last, which would be 29th after the withdrawal of Will Zalatoris, guarantees Scott more than $700,000.

Originally published as Golf: Cameron Smith alive in chase for $25m payday at Tour Championship after round with LIV critic Rory McIlroy