Cameron Smith will play Asian events to secure Olympic spot in Paris

Cameron Smith will have to get creative if he wants to make the Olympics and that could mean venturing outside the LIV bubble more often to play.

Cam Smith is set to venture outside the LIV bubble more often next year in a concerted bid to get to a second Olympics in Paris.

He knows his regular playing schedule will only hold him back after LIV’s request for world ranking points was rebuffed.

Since his big-money defection to the Saudi-backed league last year, the ranking of former world No.2 Smith has dropped to 18.

He has played just six events this year that are eligible for world ranking points for two top-10 major finishes and a second at the recent Hong Kong Open.

As of last week, Queensland star Smith, who partnered great mate Marc Leishman at the Tokyo Games, was still well placed to qualify for Paris with an Olympic ranking of 12th.

However, his ranking is projected to push him outside qualification by early next year so Smith will consider playing extra events on the LIV-friendly Asian Tour to earn crucial points.

“I think I would but that’s kind of wait and see,” he said on Tuesday before his Australian PGA title defence this week at Royal Queensland.

Smith can also earn world ranking points this week and at the following week’s Australian Open because both events are co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and Europe’s DP World Tour.

“Hopefully, these couple of events down here can do plenty for me and those few majors before it can lift it (his ranking) up as well,” the 2022 British Open champion said.

Cameron Smith at the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

“Hopefully, I can keep that ranking up and wear the coat of arms on the chest again. It’s pretty special.”

Smith described his experience at the Covid-restricted Tokyo Games alongside Leishman as “weird”.

“‘Leish’ and I wanted to get out and watch some track-and-field stuff and I just wasn’t able to do it,” he said.

“Hopefully, we are close to the action and we can go as spectators. That would be awesome.”

Leishman, who conceded he was no chance to play in Paris now that his ranking had dropped to 422, said Smith deserved to play at a second successive Olympics.

“Cam is a pretty clear-cut best Australian golfer and I think he deserves to be playing in the Olympics, so hopefully they can do something so he can get in,” Leishman said.

Smith remained hopeful that a peace deal could be brokered between the rival tours.

The PGA Tour and LIV backers the Saudi Public Investment Fund are yet to reach agreement on a proposed new arrangement that could shape the future of golf.

“The players in general are very all together,’’ Smith said. “I don’t think there are any hard feelings.

“We get four chances (at the majors) to catch up with each other.”

Smith competes in a mowing challenge against fellow Australian golfer Marc Leishman at Suncorp Stadium ahead of the 2023 Australian PGA Championship. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

To prepare for his Australian PGA and Open campaigns, Smith played this month in the Hong Kong Open, where he finished second at 18-under, a shot behind winner Ben Campbell.

“I had a couple of weeks off (before Hong Kong) … so the game actually felt surprisingly good,” Smith said.

“I was going there to get going again for this stuff (in Australia).

“I managed to get in contention there and probably played better than the score suggested, especially on the Saturday and Sunday.

“It was a bit of a frustrating weekend but the game feels good.”

Smith will tee off at 6.10am on Thursday at the 10th hole alongside Min Woo Lee and Ryder Cup hero Robert McIntyre.

Adam Scott will start his opening round 10 minutes earlier, also from the 10th, in a group that includes fellow Australian Cam Davis and Polish star Adrian Meronk.

Round 1 feature groups:

6am (10th hole): Adrian Meronk, Cam Davis, Adam Scott

6.10am (10th hole): Robert MacIntyre, Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee

11am (1st hole): Lucas Herbert, Daniel Hillier, David Micheluzzi

11.10am (1st hole): Marc Leishman, Jhonattan Vegas, Ryo Hisatsune