Australia’s Cameron Smith gears up for British Open defence with LIV London title

LONDON – Playing in his final event before defending his British Open later in July, Australian Cameron Smith survived a closing bogey on Sunday to win the LIV Golf event at Centurion Club in London.

He shot three-under 68 to finish at 15 under, one stroke ahead of American Patrick Reed (65) and Smith’s Ripper Golf Club teammate Marc Leishman (66) of Australia.

Smith made three birdies (Nos. 2, 3 and 8) and one bogey (No. 5) on the front nine. On the back nine, birdies came at Nos. 10, 13 and the par-three 17th, but bogeys at No. 12 and at the 529-yard, par-five finishing hole took away any cushion.

He said he was keeping an eye on the leaderboard, adding: “I love to know kind of what I have to do. This course is so fiddly (complicated), it’s tough to play with a lead.

“You’re almost trying to place it in the fairway and place it on the green rather than just hitting your shots. It can get to you.

“It’s the best the putter has felt for a long time, and I think that definitely saved today’s round.”

Reed started the day in fifth place at eight under. His 4Aces GC won the team title at 34 under. Fellow Americans Pat Perez (nine under) and Dustin Johnson (10 under) rounded out the best three scores.

“I knew that I had to try to do something, not only to get myself closer to Cam but also just in case any of the other guys needed help throughout the round,” Reed said of the pursuit of the team title.

After one birdie, one bogey and seven pars on the front nine, he birdied Nos. 10-12, 14, 15 and 17 along with three pars.

“I was able to catch fire there on the back nine and make a lot of birdies there,” he said.

“It’s just one of those things; once you see your guys making birdies, it pushes you a little harder to go out and make birdies, as well, and try to contribute. To be able to do that and to see how these guys played from really start to finish today was key.”

Smith’s most recent LIV win was last September at the event near Chicago. He said he will take a few days off in London before heading to Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake on Saturday to prepare for the July 20-23 British Open.

“I wouldn’t say it really takes the pressure off,” Smith said of winning on Sunday. “I think it’s just nice to be playing good golf. There’s nothing worse going into a big golf tournament and you’re playing crappy golf.

“Like I’ve mentioned, there’s probably a few things to clean up if I want to contend in a couple of weeks’ time, but yeah, it’s still a big event. It’s still got all the biggest names there. It’s the Open Championship, so you want to do your best. There’s always that pressure. Just more of a confidence booster, I think, this weekend.”

Separately, Randall Stephenson resigned from the PGA Tour policy board, saying he cannot support its framework deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

The 63-year-old, who was the chairman and CEO of AT&T before retiring in 2020, alluded to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record in a resignation letter obtained by the publication.

“(The deal) is not one that I can objectively evaluate or in good conscience support, particularly in light of the US intelligence report concerning Jamal Khashoggi in 2018,” he wrote, referring to the dissident Saudi journalist who was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

The PGA Tour’s decision in June to partner the PIF was kept under wraps, with commissioner Jay Monahan and a few board members working on the negotiations. Though it might spell the end of LIV Golf, the new framework deal would see PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan serve as chairman of the combined PGA-PIF entity and Monahan become CEO.

Stephenson said he planned to resign sooner, but waited because Monahan stepped away soon after the June announcement for medical reasons. Monahan is returning to work on July 17. REUTERS