Cameron Smith ‘optimistic’ that LIV Golf will continue

HOYLAKE, England – Defending British Open champion Cameron Smith might not have been keen on giving back the Claret Jug on Monday, but the Australian is bullish on his long-term future in the face of uncertainty on the business side of golf.

Smith, who fired a final-round 64 last July to win at St Andrews, found himself getting emotional when returning the trophy at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, on Monday.

“I just had to hand back the trophy there. I thought I was going to do all right, but I was actually holding back from tears,” he said ahead of the British Open. “A bit of a moment, I guess, that crept up on me.”

The Australian was reminded that he could get it back. “That’s what I’ve been saying to all my mates,” the 29-year-old added.

“It’ll only be a week and we’ll be drinking out of it again. You never know, sometimes you can play your best golf at Major championships and you can run fourth or fifth. Hopefully it’s another week like last year and I’m back with the trophy.”

But Smith, ranked No. 7 in the world, harbours no such apprehension about the future of LIV Golf and his spot in the game.

He signed on with the Saudi-backed series last August, a few weeks after pocketing the British Open title. Less than a year later, Smith – along with every other golfer – is being asked about the future of a merged PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

“Absolutely I’m optimistic,” he said, answering a question about his personal future.

But he is also bullish on the state of the sport and LIV.

“I think golf is in a great spot,” he added. “There’s obviously a lot of things that are up in the air that no one really knows at the moment.

“I don’t even think the guys that are trying to sort it out really know what this outcome is going to be like. Yeah, a lot of uncertainty, but I’m optimistic that LIV will be around in the future.”

Regardless, Smith has no regrets about making the move.

“I wasn’t a part of all the lawsuit stuff. I tried to stay as far away from that as possible,” he said. “Like I’ve said in the past, the PGA Tour is a great place to play golf, and it will be for a very long time.

“I don’t think there was any part of me that made me think I made the wrong decision throughout any part of the last eight or nine months.”

As for this week, Smith said it is as simple as playing golf.

“I think LIV aside, I’m determined to try my best every week and just try and be a better golfer than I was last week,” he added. “I never really expect too much of myself.

“The thing I expect are doing everything 100 per cent, ticking all the boxes early in the week, making sure I’m prepared, and then just go out there and give it my all.

“That’s all I can really do.”

The 2022 US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick, too, admitted to having low expectations, despite arriving at Royal Liverpool ranked in the top 10 in the world.

He has an opportunity to become the first Englishman to win the British Open on home soil since Tony Jacklin 54 years ago.

“Arguably, the British Open is my weakest Major, to be honest,” he said on Monday. “So, my expectations have probably got to match my results previous.

“I’ve got to be realistic about where my game is. It’s obviously not where I’d like it to be.

“I think everyone would like to be playing golf like McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler right now, but that’s pretty rare for the rest of us.

“I think for me, a good finish for me, all jokes aside, would be top 30 this week (T-20 in 2019 is his best).

“I’ve not played well in the British Open previously, and I wouldn’t say that I’m in the best form, either. So, I’ve got to be realistic about where I am.” REUTERS