Cameron Smith’s congratulatory messages have come from sports stars around the world.
The golden bear, Jack Nicklaus, said Smith’s victory, the first of an Australian at the Open in almost three decades, was fun to watch and that there is no better place to win his first greater than at St Andrews.
He would know that too: he won 18 majors and three open ones, including two in The Old Course.
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Even former English striker Gary Lineker said his performance was “amazing” and one of the “great rounds in history”.
And as expected, our politicians also intervened.
Queensland Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the whole state was proud of him, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese bent over backwards and said the whole county was proud of him.
He’s probably right.
There are many things to like about Smith: he is friendly, easy to relate to and relaxed. He is basically everything Australians look for in a partner.
But that love would surely be put to the test if he deserted to the LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia.
At his press conference, the 28-year-old was clearly excited, but that mood quickly changed when he was asked about rumors of his desertion. He didn’t like the question, but he also didn’t deny that he was going there.
“I just won the British Open and you’re asking about it. I think that’s, pretty, not so good,” he said.
“I don’t know, mate. My team around me cares about all these things. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
This last line – “I’m here to win golf tournaments” – or small variations of, is exactly what many LIV defectors use, especially when asked to comment on the human rights issues of their Saudi funders.
Surely, though, his “team” would be in constant communication with him about where he wants to play and who he wants to win money from.
The last Australian to win the Open Championship was Greg Norman, needless to say.
According to the Irish golfer, Smith’s move to LIV Golf is a done deal, and will be announced, along with four more, on Tuesday.
Others include compatriot Marc Leishman, two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson, 2023 European Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson, who would probably be stripped of the captaincy, and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood.
The publication reported that while nothing was official, the talk at The Open’s press box suggested that the news was virtually confirmed.
LIV already has some big names: Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed among others.
Some had already established themselves as villains of the PGA Tour. What would make the signing of someone like Cameron Smith a little more meaningful to the Saudis is that the likeable Aussie isn’t a bad guy.
It is popular with fans, players and broadcasters. He’s a good guy everywhere. Fleetwood, Leishman, Stenson and even Watson fall into this category.
Signing players like these gives LIV Golf even more legitimacy and would go a step further to become a true alternative tour.
For years, the whole problem of the PGA Tour has been that it is the place to see the best golfers in the world compete in the best courses of the best tournaments.
That claim has been more or less unquestionable for decades, but if two-time Masters champions like Bubba Watson and Open Championship winner Smith don’t play at PGA Tour events, but with the Saudis, it would be something else. great success for the PGA Tour.
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