"Big Number to Knock Down": Cam Smith Once Revealed 3 Big Reasons He Joined LIV Golf
Australian Open Golf 2025 Final Results in Melbourne - 07 Dec 2025 Cameron Smith of Australia seen in action during round four of the Australian Open Golf tournament. The 2025 Australian Open concluded with Denmarks Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen securing the championship at 15-under after a tense final round at The Australian Golf Club. The tournament delivers a dramatic finish, with top international contenders pushing the leaderboard to the final holes. Large crowds gathered across the course as fans watch one of Australias premier golf events come to a close for the year. Melbourne Australia Copyright: xYexMyoxKhantx/xSOPAxImagesx YeMyoKhant_4
Australian Open Golf 2025 Final Results in Melbourne - 07 Dec 2025 Cameron Smith of Australia seen in action during round four of the Australian Open Golf tournament. The 2025 Australian Open concluded with Denmarks Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen securing the championship at 15-under after a tense final round at The Australian Golf Club. The tournament delivers a dramatic finish, with top international contenders pushing the leaderboard to the final holes. Large crowds gathered across the course as fans watch one of Australias premier golf events come to a close for the year. Melbourne Australia Copyright: xYexMyoxKhantx/xSOPAxImagesx YeMyoKhant_4
Cam Smith's transition to LIV Golf after winning The Open Championship and the Players Championship in 2022 left many startled, but Smith knew what he was doing.
After joining LIV Golf in August 2022, Smith appeared on the November 21, 2024, episode of Mark Boris’ podcast, where he outlined three reasons for making the move. The first one was related to his career, and the other two to different factors.
Smith said the decision to transition to LIV came with uncertainty, and his main concern was whether his "career as golfer" would be "secure" in LIV. Luckily, he found an affirmative answer to this question, which cleared his doubts about joining LIV.
Compared to the PGA Tour, LIV Golf's more manageable schedule also facilitated Smith's joining. He said, "Playing less golf, spending more time in Australia was obviously really, really important." And hence, he had no second thoughts about the transition.
Third, Smith pointed to the business side of the decision, saying the offer was hard to ignore and gave him long-term security to keep playing professionally.
He said, "The business decision, as you know, [what LIV offered] is a pretty big number to knock down, and I get to play golf for the rest of my life as a professional."
Smith’s signing amount with LIV Golf was reportedly a guaranteed fee of $100 million to $150 million.
Since his transition, Smith has become a central part of the league and has ruled out a return to the PGA Tour after turning down a one-time offer to rejoin. Along with competing as an individual, Smith also serves as the playing captain of Ripper GC, the all-Australian team.
Cam Smith’s LIV Golf Résumé
Cam Smith joined LIV Golf in August 2022 and has since posted three individual wins while helping Ripper GC claim a team championship.
He opened his LIV account at the 2022 Invitational in Chicago, winning in only his second start and finishing at 13-under par.
In 2023, he added two more titles, first in London at 15-under with a one-shot margin, then at Bedminster, where he finished 12-under and won by seven.
In Smith’s 2024 season, he placed seventh without a victory, but Ripper GC won the season-ending Team Championship in Dallas. Smith finished 18th in 2025, went winless again, and still recorded five top-10 finishes.
So, with Smith's LIV Golf story proceeding smoothly, how do you think he will do, both individually and as a team, in 2026?
Written by
Aditi Singh
Edited by
Souvik Roy