Cameron Smith has attributed a significant portion of his choice to join LIV Golf to the financial rewards and chances it provides for him to spend time in his native Australia. However, speaking ahead of his debut in the LIV Golf Invitational Series in Boston this week, the 29-year-old mentioned another reason he’s excited about joining the Saudi-backed venture: the ability to shake up the game in a way that has never been done before.
He stated, “You know, I’m simply thrilled to be here. This represents a new phase in my life. This, I believe, is the future of golf. I adore the atmosphere out here. The music playing on the range creates a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. I adore that material. I enjoy playing with music at home, and I cannot wait to be a part of this.”
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Cameron Smith’s decision to join LIV Golf has not sat well with many people
The Series differs from the PGA Tour in a number of ways, including its shorter 54-hole no-cut format and shotgun starts, which means that all 48 players begin their rounds at the same time. Smith believes that innovations like this are crucial to bringing new generations to the game. He stated, “I believe it needs to be altered. Especially as our golf fans become younger, I believe we must do something to keep them interested. Without a doubt, I believe that is the correct decision.”
Therefore, Smith’s choice to leave the PGA Tour was not done lightly. However, he did admit that, even after speaking with players and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, one of the most compelling aspects of his decision was the game’s future trajectory.
There is little doubt that the acquisition of Cameron Smith, in addition to five others, is doing this. However, prior to this announcement, the PGA Tour had already taken steps to innovate in the face of the LIV Golf threat, first strengthening its alliance with the DP World Tour and then announcing unprecedented changes such as increased purses and a desire to bring the game’s top players together more frequently.
However, Smith acknowledged that the PGA Tour could not have done much to keep him there, since he preferred the lifestyle change that LIV Golf offered. He stated, “The greatest appeal for me was spending more time at home. Regaining that aspect of my life It’s something I’ve missed terribly. The pandemic that we’ve had over the past few years certainly didn’t help, but being able to go home, see my family, and play golf there more frequently was a huge plus for me.”
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