No doubts about LIV switch, Cameron Smith savours time with family, friends

SINGAPORE – Even after a breakthrough 2022 that saw him win his first Major, there remained one thing that Cameron Smith yearned for: More time with his friends and family.

After the Covid-19 pandemic forced him to spend a few years away from home, the Australian realised that family was more important than winning trophies.

So a month after claiming the British Open, Smith surprised fans and many in the golf fraternity by jumping ship to the breakaway LIV Golf series.

The world No. 8, who also earned the PGA Player of the Year award in 2022, told The Straits Times: “I had a little bit of time to think about it but it was basically about being at home and being with friends and family more often.

“I was able to spend eight weeks in Australia at the end of the year and I haven’t been able to do that for eight or nine years, so that was incredible.”

Sporting his trademark mullet and moustache, Smith was chatty and relaxed during the interview at the Sentosa Golf Club, where he is hoping to entertain fans after receiving a rapturous welcome at the LIV event in Adelaide last week.

The inaugural LIV Golf Singapore tees off on Friday and other stars in town include former world No. 1s Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, and six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson.

The 29-year-old Smith reckons he has played more golf with his golf-crazy friends and family in Australia over the last few months than he did while preparing for tournaments in the United States, but he does not mind.

He said matter-of-factly: “Covid for me was very tough, I didn’t see any of my family for three years.

“That made me really realise that life is short and you need to spend time with the people you love and that was definitely one of the things that helped the process.”

Growing up in the northern suburb of Bray Park in Brisbane, he counted former Australian world No. 1s Adam Scott and Jason Day as his idols, but a young Smith merely saw golf as a way to earn a living.

His father Des, who was the club captain at Wantima Country Club, worked as a printer while his mother Sharon worked at the local department store.

Smith said: “The dream was to basically own my own place, have my own car, be able to pay the bills and live a pretty normal life but kind of being on the road.

“But as time has gone on, you always have that kind of big dream of what you want to happen and for a period of time, it was just to live.

“I didn’t really come from a really wealthy family, my parents did a lot for me as a kid for me to be able to play golf and they would still be doing it today if they had to.”

As he grew up, so did Smith’s ambitions as he targeted a Major trophy, which he eventually won at the 2022 British Open.

But he insisted that he had no doubts about making the switch to LIV, saying that the tour’s event in Adelaide reaffirmed his decision.

The Ripper GC captain is also enjoying the competition’s team format, saying: “It’s about personal pride and playing for the team.

“For the first time in my career, I’ve had to worry about three other guys.

“That gives me not only motivation on the golf course to play better golf, but off the golf course, there are times when you want to do something, you think about the three other guys and you do it for them. It’s quite unique and I love it.”

Selected tee-times (Shotgun start at 10.15am)

Hole 1: Cameron Smith, Phil Mickelson
Hole 2: Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen
Hole 3: Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Bryson DeChambeau
Hole 16: Ian Poulter
Hole 18: Bubba Watson