Australia's LIV golfers including Cameron Smith are being offered support by the sport's hierarchy amid a funding crisis, as a golf executive says the 2022 British Open champion is 'too young to retire'.
Cameron Smith is one of a number of Australian golfers considering their future. Cameron Smith should be able to play on whatever tour he wants amid LIV Golf's funding crisis, according to Golf Australia chief James Sutherland.
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has pulled out of LIV, leaving Australians Smith, Elvis Smylie, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert with no guaranteed future after this season. PGA Tour of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman will meet with Smith and his management at the end of May to discuss the future. Australia's golfing hierarchy is allaying fears that Cam Smith may be lost to the sport as they give the major champion space to scramble through LIV's chaos.
Smith, the 32-year-old British Open winner, and compatriots Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Elvis Smylie face uncertain futures amid LIV Golf's funding crisis. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has pulled out of LIV, leaving the all-Australian Ripper team captained by Smith and other golfers hanging.
"He's too young to retire," PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman told reporters on Tuesday. "Where he made that decision based on where LIV Golf was at that stage, he may be rethinking with his management. While Adelaide showed just how good LIV Golf could be, the flawed premise of the breakaway tournament always spelled trouble.
"And there is probably so much to happen. " Kirkman will meet with Smith and his management at the end of the month, hoping by then the dust will have settled on LIV's future. With no Saudi funding from next year, LIV Golf has pivoted to what it describes as a long-term capital strategy that could include private investors buying stakes in teams.
AAP: Matt TurnerBut US President Donald Trump and others are urging the US PGA Tour to accept Smith and fellow LIV players back on the American tour.
"Our focus is on Cam. Marc Leishman has still got a lot of golf to play, Elvis Smylie is a superstar, and Lucas Herbert is capable of winning a major," Kirkman said.
"We can't make their decisions for them, but this is where we hope the global golf ecosystem really comes together, because I can say that all the tours and all the majors want the best golfers playing. "Smith won the 2022 Open at St Andrews, but his tied ninth at the 2023 PGA Championship is his best finish at a major since.
He was the only player to miss the halfway cut in all four majors in 2025 and he also failed to make the weekend action at last month's Masters. The Queenslander has amassed a fortune on LIV, with career earnings topping $US51 million after signing for a reported $US100 million .
"The four guys on the Ripper team, we're super proud of them as great golfers," Sutherland told reporters. "And we love the fact they come back and play in our major tournaments every year. I'm sure that will continue to happen. ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation.
We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines. LIV Golf has held four tournaments in Adelaide, and the South Australian government is spending $45 million on a Greg Norman redevelopment of the North Adelaide golf course, due to host a LIV tournament in 2028.
"We are certainly not blind or ignorant to some of the discussions going on with LIV," Sutherland said. "I have certainly spoken to people on the management side of things, and I think they're obviously working through that. Sports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday.
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