BOSTON – Cameron Smith’s future is now not a secret.
On Wednesday the 29-year-old sat subsequent to his good good friend and fellow Aussie, Marc Leishman, and he lastly spoke about his future with LIV Golf, a tour that he has been requested about since he received the Open Championship on the Old Course in St. Andrews final month.
Currently No. 2 on this planet rankings, Smith’s presence on the LIV Golf Invitational Boston ticks most of the containers that LIV CEO Greg Norman hoped to fill when the idea for LIV was born – particularly, signing a major-winning, extremely ranked participant to eradicate a PGA Tour speaking level that no high gamers have joined LIV.
There can be Norman’s parochial view of getting an Australian workforce, with Smith and Leishman added to the prevailing duo of Matt Jones and Wade Ormsby.
Of course, Norman, a two-time Open Champion, might by no means have envisioned that Smith, the reigning Open Champion, would finally tee it up on Friday in his first-ever LIV occasion, a number of months after he linked with Smith’s representatives shortly after Smith’s Players Championship victory in March.
“I’m the captain of the team and I’m the youngest, so I think the older boys will be putting me back in line to be honest,” Smith mentioned jokingly in his Wednesday press convention. “I’m just super excited for it all. To have an Australian team, playing for mates and out there having fun with them, it’s super exciting for me.”
Smith and Leishman genuinely appeared excited to make the transfer. Leishman, a 38-year-old father of three, seems to be on the again facet of his profession. Smith, thought of a homebody by many who know him, is wanting ahead to a lowered schedule, however extra importantly the 2 mates are excited to leap on a airplane and fly Down Under, since each have been unable to just lately make the journey on account of Covid-19 protocols and their schedules.
“It’s been three years since I’ve been home and to be able to spend more time in my home country, see friends again, play on golf courses that I know, it’s certainly exciting,” Leishman mentioned. “Like I say, it’s a pretty cool day for us.”
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Both are planning to return to Australia later this 12 months and play in each the Australian PGA and the Australian Open, for the reason that FedEx Cup factors race is now not a difficulty for them.
Smith known as his signing with LIV Golf a brand new chapter in his life, believing that it’s the way forward for golf and embracing LIV’s laid-back nature, which incorporates music on the vary.
“I think there has been a lot of stuff up in the air over the past month or so, but you know, for me personally, I’m here to play the best golf I can,” Smith mentioned. “Now I’m not only playing for myself, I’m playing for three of my mates, the other team members.”
As a captain, Smith is keen to deliver LIV to Australia, the place he feels it would finally be embraced.
“We are working on it,” Smith mentioned of a possible Australian LIV occasion. “I think it would be awesome for Australian golf. I think Australia needs another event. A few years back, we lost the Aussie Masters, and to bring this new, exciting format to Australia I think will be embraced.”
When Smith tees it up in Friday’s first spherical he’ll deliver an added legitimacy not solely to the occasion, however to LIV Golf itself. He’s a 6/1 favourite to win on the web site Betonline, and a victory for the younger Australian would probably add curiosity to the tour and doubtlessly elevate LIV in world {golfing} circles.
Smith additionally believes that his success will breed curiosity in LIV as an alternative choice to the PGA Tour’s extra staid and inflexible view {of professional} golf.
“I think it needs to change,” Smith mentioned {of professional} golf. “Particularly as our golf fans become younger, I think we need to do something to make it exciting for them. I think it’s the right move for sure.”
Source: www.si.com
