4 weeks ago
Cam Smith has laughed disconnected status rumours, and said he has been fixed “every assurance” LIV Golf will proceed beyond this year.
The early of LIV – and Smith’s all-Australian Ripper GC squad – is successful jeopardy aft Saudi Arabia withdrew backing of nan breakaway league.
“Since joining LIV, I person learnt to woody pinch speculation and reports, truthful it hasn’t really changed,” Smith said.
Asked what assurances he had been fixed astir LIV’s early aft this year, Smith replied: “Every assurance. Absolutely. That’s nan goal, 100%.'’
Pressed connected who had offered assurance, Smith said: “I committedness you will perceive it first from personification else, alternatively than me.”
He was reluctant to grow connected LIV’s early during a teleconference pinch Australian media from Virginia successful nan US, wherever LIV’s adjacent tourney starts connected Thursday.
“It’s conscionable truthful fresh, truthful there’s thing really to say,” Smith said. “I cognize nan squad are moving difficult down nan scenes and they’re doing everything they tin for us.
“So I americium excited, I cognize [LIV Golf main executive] Scott O’Neil is really excited for nan advancement and situation successful nan coming months.”
Asked astir rumours he could retire, Smith laughed earlier replying: “I’m 32, truthful I person sewage a while yet. Gee, I haven’t been asked that mobility before. That’s good.”
Smith has won much than $US50m successful LIV prize money aft signing for a interest understood to beryllium astir $US100m.
The Queenslander, a prized early recruit, was appointed skipper of nan all-Australian Ripper GC that besides features Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Elvis Smylie.
The captaincy statement came pinch a 25% equity liking successful nan team, pinch nan convention holding nan remainder.
LIV has aimed for a $US300m valuation of nan 13 teams arsenic it seeks imaginable backstage investors.
Ripper GC leader Nick Adams said this week squad values could deed $US1bn – if sold astatine that price, Smith is successful statement for different bumper salary time of $US250m.
But Smith acknowledged his on-course struggles up of adjacent week’s major, nan US PGA Championship successful Pennsylvania.
Smith, nan 2022 Open champ, past twelvemonth was nan sole golfer to miss nan halfway trim successful each 4 majors.
He besides grounded to make nan play action astatine past month’s Masters.
“Early successful my career, I hung my chapeau connected really I performed successful nan majors,” Smith said. “And it’s conscionable not bully enough. I americium making a fewer changes and trying to get backmost to wherever I was and better.
“I tin committedness you, nan occurrence is successful nan belly, it’s conscionable a matter of time. I don’t deliberation clip is moving retired connected my awesome profession by immoderate means.”
