Cam Smith was ranked as high as second in the world ahead of his move to LIV Golf in 2022, but the Australian has struggled to re-find that form over the past two seasons and is now no longer viewed as a top contender
Cam Smith has been warned that a strong showing in this year’s major championships is required with the Masters now just two weeks away.
Smith will be gunning to win his second major title, having clinched The Open Championship at St Andrews in 2022, chasing down Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland. Just weeks after his win at the Home of Golf, the Australian left the sport in a state of shock, after making the decision to join Greg Norman and the LIV Golf setup. Since then, the former world No. 2 has not played once on the PGA Tour, but has been able to feature in all four of the majors thanks to becoming Champion Golfer of The Year three years ago.
In his opening 12 months with the LIV setup, Smith won three individual titles on the breakaway circuit, his first coming in his maiden start in Chicago back in September 2022. Since his last win in Bedminster over 18 months ago though, Smith has failed to find the golf that made him one of the most in-form players in the game.
Three of his four major showings in 2024 were underwhelming, with the Ripper GC captain finishing tied-63rd at the PGA Championship and tied-32nd at the U.S. Open, before he missed the cut at The Open, two years on from his victory at St Andrews.
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The only bright spark from his major showings last campaign was his trip to the Masters, where Smith maintained his strong record around the iconic Georgia track, finishing the tournament in tied-sixth. Smith will be hoping for more of the same upon his return down Magnolia Lane next month.
And one fellow Australian star in Nick O’Hern believes a strong performance is a must before questions start to be asked about his initial decision to join LIV three years ago.
“This year is going to be a very interesting test for him,” the former world No. 16 told the Talk Birdie To Me Podcast. “His results this year with LIV haven’t been stellar, unfortunately. He seems to be finishing middle of the field, and in a 54-man field that isn’t great.
“Come the Masters, if he doesn’t have a good year in the Masters he may have some rethinking to do.”
O’Hern and his co-presenter Mark Allen were then both in agreement that Smith can not be “blamed” for giving up his PGA Tour spot and taking the LIV offer which was reported to be around $100million.
Smith currently sits 40th in the season-long LIV standings, having finished tied-25th, 30th, tied-20th, and tied-19th in his opening four events. The former world No. 2 will play once more on the breakaway circuit in Miami in the first week of April before his opening major of the season at Augusta.
