Cam Smith became one of the big names to make the move to LIV Golf back in 2022, with the Aussie making the switch just weeks after being crowned Open champion
Cameron Smith has revealed Greg Norman reached out to him on the phone over joining LIV Golf in the wake of his 2022 Open Championship victory at St Andrews.
Smith became one of the biggest names to leave the PGA Tour and join the LIV setup just over two years ago, signing an eye-watering deal worth a reported £80 million. At the time, the Australian was ranked as the second-best player in the world, fresh off the back of becoming Open champion at the Home of Golf.
In the weeks following his major triumph, Smith has revealed that LIV CEO – and fellow Aussie – Norman reached out to him on the phone to convince him to make the Saudi switch.
“There was a lot of movement on the Tour at the time, and agents would come up to you,” Smith told Straight Talk with Mark Bouris. “And then I remember it was after The Open, Greg rang me up and we had a really good chat. I spoke to a few really good friends that I knew I could lean on in the space.
“Then as a team we just decided to go for it.” It has been no secret that Smith and co were offered lucrative signing deals to make the move to the LIV setup, but the former world No. 2 has admitted there were a number of other factors behind his decision, aside from the cash.
“I spoke to a lot of people,” Smith said of his decision. “I think the things that I felt was that it was all still up in the air, and was my career as a golfer going to be secure was the main question before anything else, and the answer was yes from everyone.
Cam Smith joined LIV Golf in 2022 ( Image: Brian Bishop/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“I mean like am I going to be able to play golf professionally? It was so fresh at the start, we didn’t know whether it was going to be a year or like it is know, it has been just a dream. That was the biggest question. The second was playing less golf and spending more time in Australia was really important.
“Third was the business decision and it was a pretty big number to knock down. I get to play golf for the rest of my life as a professional, do what I love in Australia. Support junior golf and golf in Australia and I get to spend more time here. It was a no brainer.”
Since making the mega-money move, Smith has enjoyed plenty of success on the LIV Golf circuit, winning three times on the circuit individually across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Whilst he was unable to secure a fourth individual crown in 2024, Smith and his Ripper GC teammates ended the year by winning the Team Championship in Dallas at the season finale in September.
