19th Hole

Major champ urges Cam Smith to turn down reported mammoth offer to join LIV

Published

2 years ago

Jul 19, 2022

Two days after winning the 150th Open Championship, speculation is ramping up as to the potential for Cam Smith to join the LIV Golf Series.

Related: Cam Smith’s dad reveals what likely contributed to his son’s sensational short game

The 28-year-old has the potential to become one of his country’s most decorated golfers, with the green jacket well in reach after being runner-up, third, fifth and 10th in his last five attempts around the hallowed turf.

Now ranked No. 2 in the Official World Golf Rankings, Smith would be the catch of the year for the Greg Norman-led series. Indeed, rumors of an offer of around $100 million to join the Saudi-backed tour is reportedly on the table for the Aussie.

What makes the episode more enthralling was Smith’s response during his winner’s press conference.

When a reporter asked Smith whether he was considering joining the rebel league, the answer was less than convincing:

“I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that? I think that’s … not that good.”

To make matters worse, when pressed to answer if he was in talks with LIV, Smith was very inconclusive:

“I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”

The LIV Golf question everyone is tweeting about. Cam Smith with the death shot "i think thats… pretty, not that good" pic.twitter.com/Jn5FGtOUSf

— Let's Get Topical (@LGTopical) July 17, 2022

Of course, he’s just won the biggest tournament in the calendar, and on one of the great historic occasions, so he is easy to forgive. However, it hasn’t stopped him from dominating this week’s headlines.

Whilst Smith’s coach, Grant Field, insisted, “The sky is the limit for Cam. I can see more majors in his future if he puts the work in,” fellow Aussie Open winner, Ian Baker-Finch, pleaded with Smith to reject any further advances from the rebels.

The 61-year-old, winner of the Open at Royal Birkdale, said he understood the appeal for both sides, telling the Australian radio station 3AW that:

“I know that they’re talking to him and to many others. I hope he doesn’t (accept) because I think he can leave a great legacy by winning major championships and becoming the best player in the world.”

On the huge money that is reputed to have been offered, the CBS Sports analyst admitted that, “I don’t think he needs the money. I don’t think it’s going to be something he should do. It’s his decision – he’ll be a $100 million guy or more if he did go.”

Baker-Finch didn’t seem convinced by the way Smith answered questions, commenting:

“Does he want to win more majors or does he want the money?” before putting up the case to stay on the main tours.

“I’m hoping that he stays (on the PGA Tour). Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy and a lot of those guys that still compete and play well in majors and want to win majors and want to leave a legacy. They’re the guys I would be following.”

In a more general swipe at the way the LIV program is being advertised, Baker-Finch again hopes for a change in the way younger players look at the series.

“The guys who go join LIV are going to miss out on the grind, what it takes to be a champion, to play in the great tournaments against the great players,” he said.

“It’s hard work. And you’re not going to be a better player by going and playing 54-hole exhibition matches and getting paid 150-grand to finish last.”

Man charged with stealing millions of dollars worth of memorabilia from Augusta National

Published

17 hours ago

Apr 18, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man has been charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National.

The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.

The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”

The document was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Per the court records there is no mention that Globensky worked for the golf club.

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19th Hole

Talor Gooch: 54 holes is more exciting for the fans

Published

17 hours ago

Apr 18, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

Over the past few weeks, two of LIV Golf’s biggest stars, Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson, have both expressed that they believe LIV could go to 72 holes.

While speaking to BBC Sport, Rahm said he “wouldn’t mind” going to 72 holes.

“If there ever was a way where LIV could go to 72 holes I think it would help all of this argument a lot.”

“The closer I think we can get LIV Golf to some other things the better. I think it would be for some kind of unification to feed into a world tour or something like that.

“I don’t know if I’m alone in this, but I definitely wouldn’t mind going back to 72 holes.”

Phil Mickelson, while speaking after his final round at The Masters, also said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if LIV went to 72 holes.

“I don’t think it makes a difference either way. We’ve got mini-tours playing 54, Champions Tour playing 54. I wouldn’t be surprised if some or all of LIV events went to 72. I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. I enjoy the competition.”

Another one of LIV’s top players, Talor Gooch, expressed on Wednesday that he feels quite differently.

“It’s just funny to me, this arbitrary number of 72.”

“Why is it not 90? “Why is it not 108? We just decided to make that number the number, for what reason?”

“Everyone’s talked about world ranking points and all this stuff, but no one’s talked about what do the fans enjoy more?”

“People want something that’s going to be more exciting. And I personally think that the 54 holes is more exciting for the fans.”

After Gooch’s comments, I decided to get some fan feedback for myself, making a poll on X. With about 4,500 votes in at the time of writing this, roughly 84% of voters in the poll indicated they’d prefer 72 holes to just 16% saying they’d prefer 54.

Rahm prefers 72 holes
Gooch prefers 54 holes

Where do the fans stand?

— Matt Vincenzi (@MattVincenziPGA) April 17, 2024

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19th Hole

Brandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why

Published

2 days ago

Apr 17, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Earlier this week, rumors began to fly that Rory McIlroy could be making a shock switch to LIV Golf which caused quite the stir on social media.

However, on Tuesday, McIlroy emphatically shut down those rumors, telling Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis at the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town:

“I honestly don’t know how these things get started. I’ve never been offered a number from LIV and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV. Again I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.

It’s unfortunate that we have to deal with it and this is the state that our game’s in. I’m obviously here today and I’m playing this PGA Tour event next week and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”

Golf Channel analyst and longtime LIV critic, Brandel Chamblee, took to social media before McIlroy’s statement to point the finger at “Saudis/LIV,” who he believes started the rumor:

I have no doubt that this rumor was started by Saudis/LIV… to benefit Saudis/LIV after such a poor showing, as a group, at The Masters.

I’d be very surprised if this turns out to be true. https://t.co/SWNgjHtWSM

— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) April 16, 2024

When one user pushed back on Chamblee’s claim that LIV golfers had a poor showing at the Masters, Brandel went further into why he believes the opening major of the year was a failure for the breakaway tour.

You think they paid 3 billion for a few top tens and to be +82 as a group at major? A senior citizen beat some of their “stars” and almost all the game’s of LIV players have deteriorated since they sold their souls to the Saudis who only bought a moment in time… nothing else. https://t.co/xERkYsztIJ

— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) April 16, 2024