Cameron Smith lashes out after bombshell $140 million reports
Aussie golfer Cameron Smith has fired back at reporters at a FedEx Cup playoffs press conference after a bombshell report claimed he had signed for LIV Golf for a massive $140 million.
Smith became the centre of controversy only moments after The Open triumph when he refused to shut down reports he would be jumping over to the Saudi-backed rebel golf tour.
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On Tuesday, fellow Aussie golfer Cameron Percy claimed Smith had already 'gone' to LIV golf.
And hours before his FedEx Cup press conference, The UK Telegraph reported Smith had signed for the rebel tour for $140 million.
This would put him on par with Brooks Koeopka's fee to join LIV golf, behind Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.
The move would be announced sometime after the FedEx Cup playoffs, which the World No.2 is one of the favourites to win.
However, Smith didn't take too kindly to the questions.
Speaking at his scheduled press conference, the Australian quickly shut down questions surrounding the report.
"My goal here is to win the FedEx Cup playoffs. That's all I am here for," Smith said when asked.
He then said if there was an announcement to be made, it would come from him and not fellow golfer Percy.
"If there is something I need to say about the PGA Tour or LIV, it will come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy," he added.
Cameron Smith hits us with the “no comment” when asked about joining LIV Golf pic.twitter.com/WY7OmfDaUF
— Jacob Hallex (@jacob_hallex) August 9, 2022
"I am a man of my word, when you guys need to hear something, it will be said by me."
When pressed on the reports from The Telegraph, Smith didn't have anything to say.
"No comment," Smith replied when pressed.
Smith then confirmed his interest to "absolutely" play in the Presidents Cup, which would overlap with the LIV Golf Tour.
"That's something we have been looking forward to for the last three years," he said.
$200m for Phil Mickelson
$150m for Dustin Johnson
$125m for Bryson DeChambeau
$100m for Brooks Koepka
$100m for Cameron Smith
That's $675 million from LIV Golf to sign 5 players. The total revenue for the PGA Tour in 2022 is somewhere around $1.5 billion.— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) August 9, 2022
Cameron Smith controversy ahead of FedEx Cup
The Australian's comments come after Percy claimed in a radio interview that both Smith and fellow Aussie Marc Leishman had 'gone' to LIV Golf.
“Unfortunate, yeah, they’re gone,” Percy said on RSN Radio.
The 48-year-old couldn't help but finish with a dig at the players who had taken the money and joined the Saudi-backed league, which has drawn controversy due to the horrible human rights record from the backers.
"The more and more you look into it, some people don't care, some people have got a conscience and do care,' he said.
"It really comes down to, you know, 'they just executed 80 people this week, just chopped their heads off'. They're not the nicest people in the world.
"Do you just look past that and go, 'Oh well, I'm rich I don't really care'. It's a tough one, it really is."
The controversy erupted around Smith only moments after his historic victory at The Open when the Australian was pressed on a potential move to Greg Norman's LIV Golf.
And the Aussie refused to shut down a potential move, which sent the rumour mill into meltdown.
"I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that? I think that’s, pretty, not that good," Smith responded to one reporter.
When pressed further on his plans going forward, Smith added: “I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
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