Golfer Cameron Smith acknowledges the unsustainability of LIV Golf's inflated prize purses after its funder lost over $5 billion, suggesting a return to more traditional prize structures and backing the league's team format as the circuit faces an uncertain future.
Cameron Smith , the 2022 Open champion and captain of Ripper GC in LIV Golf, has suggested that a reduction in prize money on the breakaway circuit would be acceptable and perhaps necessary.
His comments come amid significant financial uncertainty for LIV Golf after its primary funder, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, announced in late April that it would cease funding beyond the current season, having lost over US$5 billion. Each LIV tournament currently boasts an enormous US$30 million prize pool, with players like Smith having signed extraordinary contracts, reportedly around US$150 million for Smith himself, shortly after his Open victory.
Ahead of LIV's Spanish event, Smith admitted that the rapid inflation of prize purses since LIV's 2022 launch has become unsustainable. He stated, "I think realistically, it's time for everything to come back to the way it was. It was obviously not working, and it's pretty far-fetched, realistically.
" He expressed confidence that changes, particularly regarding prize money, are looming for next season and that a smaller purse would not diminish his commitment to the league. Smith emphasized his support for LIV's team-based format, which he believes resonates strongly in markets like Australia, South Africa, and Korea, and hopes it expands further.
Meanwhile, his LIV colleague Jon Rahm signaled a detachment from the league's business struggles, stating, "I know nothing about business. I'm never going to claim to know anything about business. My job is to play golf.
" On the PGA Tour side, Chief Executive Brian Rolapp revealed that substantial progress has been made on a new two-track competition model, potentially to be implemented by 2028. This system would feature a top track with the best players competing more frequently in major events and a second track offering playing opportunities and a pathway upward, aiming to restore a competitive meritocracy that has been eroded by smaller fields and no-cut events.
The proposed changes, developed with the Future Competition Committee and Player Advisory Council, require final approval from the PGA Tour's policy board
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