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Gary Player blasts Cam Smith’s LIV move and claims another major champ ‘had no money, so he had to go’

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There have been plenty of “bombshell” signings for LIV Golf since it’s inception.

Phil Mickelson is an all-time great who was the initial signature signing for the Saudi-backed Series. Dustin Johnson is arguably a top-30 golfer of all time and Bryson DeChambeau, whether you love him or hate him, is a superstar in the prime of his career. Patrick Reed is a major champion and mercurial figure in the game who golf fans love to root against.

However, there seemingly hasn’t been a PGA TOUR departure that’s stung more for PGA TOUR fans than the number two ranked player in the world Cameron Smith.

With his down-to-earth approach to life and his stone cold killer mentality on the golf course, even the most dismissive of PGA TOUR fans have had to admit how big the loss of Smith will be felt.

Gary Player, who has been supportive of some other players who’ve chosen to join LIV Golf, was critical of Smith’s decision to take the money and run.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, the South African said:

“I was absolutely shocked to hear Cameron Smith [had joined LIV Golf]. Here’s a young man that I really thought was going to be a superstar. Now, what sort of future does he have? Will he be allowed to play in Majors in the future? Will he be able to realize this great dream of being a champion? I don’t know.”

Player, who’s won nine major championships, has opined that going to LIV is a good move for some but a mistake for others.

The South African defended former Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson in his decision to abandon the European team to join LIV when many others criticized him harshly.

“I don’t blame Stenson for going. He had no money, so he had to go. This superstar [Cam Smith], I think his advisors have given him the wrong advice. I don’t blame players for going on the LIV Tour. Most of the players can’t win on the regular Tour anymore. The PGA Tour will always be the major Tour.”

The massive sums of guaranteed money have been too tempting for many to pass on, but Player believes for the top-tier players who can still win at an elite level, the decision to stay on the PGA TOUR is an easy one.

The 86-year-old also said that if he had been faced with the opportunity to join something like LIV Golf while he was in his prime, he would decline.

“I’ve played golf all my life and I wouldn’t take a billion dollars for my nine Majors on both Tours,” he said. “The only man to win the Grand Slam on both Tours and 165 tournaments. I worked hard. I had a desire. I traveled the world, it was an education. I met wonderful people. How can you ever be a champion playing 54 holes with no cut?”

Time will tell if Cameron Smith will ever be able to win major championships again after his decision, but there’s no denying that making the jump to LIV was a massive gamble.

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19th Hole

3-time PGA Tour winner calls for LIV to buy Champions Tour to fix ‘joke’ purses

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While speaking on the Subpar podcast, former PGA Tour winner and current PGA Tour Champions player Chris DiMarco said he hopes LIV buys the Champions Tour.

“We’re kind of hoping that LIV buys the Champions Tour,” he said.

“Let’s play for a little real money out here. I mean this is kind of a joke when we’re getting $2 million. There were like seven guys last week from TPC (Sawgrass, at the $25 million PLAYERS Championship) that made more money than our purses.”

In 2024, the Champions Tour had a total of $67 million in prize money over the course of 24 events.

DiMarco also defended LIV players for taking the money and said he would take it also.

“They wanted to play for a lot of money, and they deserve it. They have had some great careers, why not go and get some money?”

DiMarco also offered insight on Graeme McDowell’s move to LIV.

“I saw Graeme McDowell at the Old Memorial Pro Member, and he goes, ‘Listen, I went up to Jay Monahan and said I love the tour but I am struggling to keep my card and these guys are offering me all this money and less golf. I’m sorry, I’m going.’ And I do not blame him one bit, and I said I would have too.”

DiMarco was ranked as high as 6th in the world in 2006.

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19th Hole

‘It won’t win you golf tournaments’ – Golf analyst rips Charley Hull’s course management

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Charley Hull came just short of her third LPGA Tour victory over the weekend at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship when she played her last two holes at 3 over to slip all the way to 10th on the leaderboard.

After the round, Hull was blasted by Sky Sports commentator and former LPGA Tour player Trish Johnson for her lack of golf course management.

While speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast, Johnson spoke harshly of Hull.

“I’m probably her harshest critic, because I know how good she is. She doesn’t win anywhere near enough for her talent, and she doesn’t get involved enough, in all honestly.

“The thing with Charley is that you’re never going to change her. I read something the other day that said how much she loves the game and it’s her love of the game [that costs her]. She’s never going to change and she’s just going to go for every pin.

“In theory that’s great, but it won’t win you golf tournaments, it just won’t because she’s not that much better than anybody else. If you put Charley against Nelly Korda, then I’m picking Nelly every single day of the week.”

Johnson also made a fascinating comparison between Hull and a famous male golfer, John Daly.

“Golf-wise that’s the way she plays the game and it’s a little bit like watching John Daly I suppose.”

“There’s something that John Daly had that made him a major winner and a winner, but Charley is kind of lacking that. Her talent is not in question, but maybe her application is. Maybe it’s just the case of her never changing and that will cost her golf tournaments, there’s no two ways about it. You cannot go for every pin because that’s the way you play and it being fun, as other players are better than that and you have to have course management.”

Hull is still only 27, and therefore has plenty of time to work on her flaws to achieve the success her talent should allow.

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Former agent lifts lid on being fired by ‘zombie’ Tiger Woods

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Discussing his new book “Rainmaker” with the Daily Mail, Tiger Woods’ former agent, Hughes Norton, recounted the events leading up to and after his split with the 15-time major champion.

Norton was abruptly fired by Woods in 1998 after his 1997 Masters win and monster deal with Nike.

In the book, Norton talks about the way Tiger views his relationships, calling him a “zombie.”

The solace I can take, which doesn’t provide much, is this: He was an equal opportunity zombie with relationships, his swing coaches, his lawyer, the guy negotiated the IMG representation deal, with caddies, When it’s over, it’s over.”

Norton added:

“It is the way he terminates relationships with everyone. Whether it’s girlfriends, whether it’s his former golf coaches. It’s ironic, really. In a way he’s so good at confrontation on the golf course. If he’s playing you, he will beat your brains out every single time.

“But when it comes to confronting things like me and other people that are in his life, he has no social skills whatsoever. It’s maddening, actually.”

After he was fired by Woods, Norton was let go by IMG, which he believes was due to Woods’ influence.

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