According to reports in Australia, fellow Aussie golfer Cameron Percy has confirmed that compatriots Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman are on their way to LIV Golf.
IrishGolfer.ie first reported this story on the Sunday of last month’s Open Championship following Cam Smith’s remarkable victory at St Andrews.
Smith was asked about LIV speculation in his winning press conference but replied somewhat angrily;
“I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that? I think that’s pretty- not that good,” adding when pressed;
“I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff, I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
Now Percy claims Smith might just be looking to win golf tournaments away from the PGA Tour. The Australian told RSN Radio, “Unfortunately yeah, they’re gone.”
.@boston_capper was in shambles when Cam Percy confirmed that Cam Smith and Leishman are headed to #LIVGolf ? pic.twitter.com/PZH5t6VN8k
— Golf Gambling Podcast (@GolfGamblingPod) August 4, 2022
Percy believes the momentum behind the Saudi-backed league should come as no surprise to golf’s status quo, revealing that Adam Scott had first talked to him about the project back in 2017.
“I had a long conversation with Adam Scott and he was very interesting talking about it, just where it is,” he said.
“He said he met with these guys (LIV) in 2017 (and) they were ready (to) do all this. So, the tour has known for a long time that this stuff’s in the works.”
Should Smith’s departure be confirmed, it would be a hammer blow to the PGA Tour. The second best player in the world would be the highest ranked LIV player by some distance and could turn the tide in LIV’s favour if he’s to turn his back on the possibility of becoming the world number one in favour of money he previously claimed he didn’t need.
Asked in 2021 what he’d do if he captured the $15m FedEx Cup bonus, Smith said;
“I don’t know, I’m pretty set, to be honest. I’m good. I’m good with what I’ve got. I don’t know what I’d do, to be honest. Maybe some more fishing equipment.”
Whether or not he has accepted an offer, Smith is expected to see out this year’s FedEx Cup Play-Offs and participate in the President’s Cup prior to any official announcement.
For what it’s worth, Percy fell a long way short of endorsing any potential move to a series which many believe was set-up to clean the image of the Saudi regime.
“The more and more you look into it, some people don’t care, some people have got a conscience and do care,’ he said.
“It really comes down to, you know, ‘they just executed 80 people this week, just chopped their heads off’. They’re not the nicest people in the world.
“Do you just look past that and go, ‘Oh well, I’m rich I don’t really care’. It’s a tough one, it really is.”
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