Aussie golfer's bombshell claim about Cameron Smith: 'They're gone'
Aussie golfer Cameron Percy has claimed The Open champ Cameron Smith is already set to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in a move that will send shockwaves through golf.
Only moments after Smith's historic victory at The Open, the Australian was pressed on a potential move to Greg Norman's LIV Golf.
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And the Aussie refused to shut down a potential move, which sent the rumour mill into meltdown.
"I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that? I think that’s, pretty, not that good," Smith responded to one reporter.
When pressed further on his plans going forward, Smith added: “I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
Since then, reports claimed Smith had already agreed a move to the controversial Saudi-backed league.
While speculation has slowed down with no imminent announcement after the major, Aussie golfer Percy has claimed Smith is all set to join.
In an interview with RSN Radio, Percy said Smith and Marc Leishman had already decided on their move.
“Unfortunate, yeah, they’re gone,” Percy said.
Percy, who has a FedEx Cup rank of 154, also claimed the PGA Tour knew the breakaway group was forming.
“I had a long conversation with (2013 Masters champion) Adam Scott and he was very interesting talking to about it, just where it is,” he said.
“He said he met with these guys (LIV) in 2017 (and) they were ready (to) do all this. So, the tour has known for a long time that this stuff’s in the works.”
The 48-year-old couldn't help but finish with a dig at the players who had taken the money and joined the Saudi-backed league, which has drawn controversy due to the horrible human rights record from the backers.
Cameron Smith taking part in FedEx Cup
Smith is expected to take part in this week's FedEx Cup.
However, Australia's Matt Jones is one of three golfers against whom the PGA Tour have filed a motion in federal court seeking to bar them from participating in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Jones, Talor Gooch and Hudson Swafford, all suspended from the PGA Tour after joining the rebel Saudi-backed LIV golf circuit, are trying "to have their cake and eat it too," according to the motion filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday.
The action is in response to the trio requesting a temporary restraining order to allow them to compete in the playoffs, starting this week at the St Jude Championship in Memphis.
A hearing to consider the LIV golfers' request is scheduled for Tuesday in San Jose, California.
Typically, the top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings are eligible for the first playoff event. Gooch ranks 20th in the standings while Jones is 65th and Swafford is 67th.
Attorneys for the PGA Tour called the players' request for relief "legally baseless."
with AAP
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