Australia’s British Open champion Cameron Smith has reportedly signed with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series for upwards of $US100 million ($A143m).
However the world No.2 has performed a straight bat on the FedEx Cup playoffs, providing no remark regardless of declaring he’s a ‘man of his word’ in hitting again on the fellow Aussie golfer who first recommended the defection was a performed deal.
Watch Smith’s brazen response within the video above
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Cameron Percy this week mentioned scuttlebutt at clubhouses on the PGA Tour had recommended Smith and Marc Leishman had already signed with LIV.
The Telegraph subsequently verified the declare with its personal sources, including Smith may make the swap in time for LIV’s Worldwide in Boston from September 2.
The UK newspaper reported LIV Golf chief govt Greg Norman all however secured Smith prior to the Open final month.
The mooted $US100 million payment is probably going to have elevated in consequence of the younger Australian’s breakthrough main win.
Smith, as he did at St Andrews, tried to reject any traces of questioning about LIV in a press convention forward of the PGA Tour playoffs.
“If there’s something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour or LIV it will come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy,” Smith mentioned in Memphis.
“I’m a man of my word and whenever you guys (the media) need to know anything, it’ll be said by me.”
Quizzed by a reporter on whether or not he would then like to say ‘yes or no’ on the Telegraph’s claims, Smith was even much less forthcoming.
“I have no comment to that. I’m here to play the FedEx Cup playoffs,” he mentioned.
“That’s been my focus the last week and a half. That’s what I’m here to do, I’m here to win.
“And like I said, it’ll come from me – it won’t come from Cameron Percy.”
Smith had additionally bristled when requested about LIV Golf within the speedy aftermath to his monumental British Open triumph at St Andrews final month.
“I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that. I think that’s pretty not that good,” Smith mentioned.
“My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
The preliminary schedule for the inaugural 2023 LIV Golf tour encompasses a match in Australia.
Bombshell new caveat in LIV pay packets
The brand new reports of Smith’s defection arrive at a clumsy time for the PGA Tour, with the institution golf series referred to as to courtroom by three PGA-to-LIV defectors.
The San Francisco listening to has already revealed a major caveat within the Saudi league’s contracts.
LIV Golf has trumpeted large prize cheques to be received on prime of signing charges reportedly as excessive as $US200 million for Phil Mickelson.
However a lawyer for the breakaway series reportedly advised the courtroom that prizemoney is “recouped against the LIV contracts”.
Australian Matt Jones is one of three gamers taking the PGA Tour to courtroom this week in a bid to participate within the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Jones, Talor Gooch and Hudson Swafford have been suspended by the PGA once they teed off for LIV at current tournaments.
The trio argued the PGA Tour’s suspension was inflicting them “irreparable” hurt.
However US District decide Beth Labson Freeman sided with the PGA Tour, which argued that the gamers have been making an attempt “to have their cake and eat it too”, in accordance to the tour’s movement.
“LIV contracts are based upon players’ calculation of what they were leaving behind,” Freeman mentioned as half of her ruling.
Gooch, Swafford and Jones would have certified for the FedExCup playoffs primarily based on their place within the factors standings had they not been suspended for taking part in LIV occasions with out the PGA Tour’s consent.
It’s the first important courtroom resolution amid the yearlong dust-up between the PGA Tour and the upstart, Saudi-financed LIV series.
Gooch, Swafford and Jones are amongst a bunch of 10 LIV gamers suing the PGA Tour. The group initially included 11 golfers earlier than Carlos Ortiz of Mexico reportedly withdrew from the swimsuit on Tuesday.
– with AAP
