Cameron Smith's admission about Greg Norman in fresh drama at The Open
The Aussie golfer can't seem to underway why the legendary figure was so sensationally blindsided.
Cameron Smith admits he has trouble understanding why Aussie golf legend Greg Norman was so sensationally blindsided in the shock merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. The golfing bodies - who had been locked in bitter legal battles for months - took everyone by surprise last month after announcing they were joining forces.
Despite Norman being CEO of LIV Golf and the driving force behind recruiting some of the biggest golfers on the planet to the rebel circuit, the Australian legend was left off the negotiating table when the merger was discussed and promptly finalised. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan - the man responsible for banning LIV Golf stars from competing on the main Tour - was instead installed as CEO of the new golfing entity.
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Norman was seemingly used up and spat out, with the two-time British Open champion not named in the joint statements released by the merging organisations, nor listed as a member of the new unified board. It led to widespread suggestions Norman had become a peripheral figure in the LIV Golf hierarchy, despite being its most prominent figure since inception.
Documents released this month by the US senate committee investigating the merger revealed the PGA Tour had sought a side agreement with LIV Golf to sideline Norman, whose determination to get the Saudi-backed circuit up and running clearly rubbed a lot of people up the wrong way. However, Smith says Norman's dedication to his LIV players can't be ignored.
Cam Smith hopes Greg Norman stays on with LIV
Speaking ahead of his defence at The Open, Smith insisted Norman had done a commendable job in heading up the breakaway Tour. While Norman's role with the new entity still remains clear, Smith says he hopes the golfing great can stay on in some capacity.
"I've kind of become a bit of a friend of Greg's, I guess, the last eight or nine months," Smith told reporters at Royal Liverpool, where the 151st Open Championship is being held. "Personally, I think he's doing a great job for our tour.
"He's looking out for our best interests. That's all you can ask of a guy that's running the show... Yeah, I'd love to see him keep on."
Having been convinced by Norman to join the rebel league on a dal worth a reported $140 million, Smith says he remains "optimistic" about the future of LIV in terms of the merger. "There's obviously a lot of things that are up in the air that no-one really knows at the moment.
"I don't even think the guys that are trying to sort it out really know what this outcome is going to be like. A lot of uncertainty, but I'm optimistic LIV will be around in the future."
Cameron Smith in star-studded group for Open defence
Smith is part of a star-studded group as looks to retain his title at The Open. Joining the Aussie will be newly minted US Open champion Wyndham Clark and Olympic gold medallist Xander Schauffele.
Clark stunned the golfing world last month to deny four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, joining the game's elite with his first major trophy. Schauffele is still seeking his maiden major, having tied for second in the 2018 Open at Carnoustie and been runner-up at the following year's Masters.
Smith admitted he became emotional after having to hand back the Claret Jug this week but is desperate to become the first man since Padraig Harrington in 2008 to win consecutive Open Championships. "That would be nice," the 29-year-old said.
"That's what I've been saying to all my mates. 'It'll only be a week and we'll be drinking out of it again'. You never know, sometimes you can play your best golf at major championships. Winning it still doesn't feel real, even a year down the road. But yeah, I think hopefully I can get it back. I want that thing back so bad!
"I thought I was going to do all right when I had it hand it back, but I was actually holding back from tears. A bit of a moment, I guess, that crept up on me. It wasn't hard to hand it back. I wasn't like, 'I'm not letting it go'. But it was just a bit of a moment that I guess you don't think about and then all of a sudden it's there and you want it back."
Smith will be one of the favourites to once again taste success at The Open, having won the milestone 150th edition of the world's oldest major at St Andrews last year. The Aussie goes into his title defence on the back of encouraging form that saw him claim his first tournament win of the year on the LIV circuit at Centurion last week.
with agencies
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