Former Open champion Cameron Smith will not be quitting LIV Golf.
The 32-year-old Australian has been given the green light to return to the PGA Tour if he wants to.
On Monday, the established North American circuit confirmed Brooks Koepka’s reinstatement after the five-time major champion, 35, made the sensational decision to quit LIV Golf in December.
Koepka has been permitted to return via the time-sensitive “returning members programme” that was unveiled on Monday by the PGA Tour’s new chief executive Brian Rolapp.
Said programme permits LIV players who have won a major championship, or The Players, between 2022-2025 to return.
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Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm are the only players eligible and, according to the fine print, have until 2 February to make up their minds.
Cameron Smith
That date is two days before LIV begin their fourth full season under the lights in Riyadh.
TenGolf have reported that Rahm is not keen on making his return.
DeChambeau is currently in the middle of talks with LIV officials to extend his contract and is yet to speak publicly about the PGA Tour’s “one-time” offer.
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Although he has cast doubt on his future.
The general assumption was that Smith was unlikely to accept.
And now Australian GolfDigest’s Brad Cliffton has reported that Smith is committed to the upcoming season.
According to Cliffton, Smith’s Ripper team will also unveil a new signing soon that will provide “a little less conversation and a little more action”.
It’s a clear nod to the news last month, reported by the Times of London, that young Australian pro Elvis Smylie will join Smith’s Ripper team and replace Matt Jones on the roster.
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Smith later told Evin Priest of the same publication: “I made a decision to come here and I stand by it.”
Smith was among the first wave of players to be recruited by LIV in 2022.
His defection came five months after he won the unofficial fifth men’s major and TPC Sawgrass and four weeks after he claimed the claret jug at the home of golf.
Smith has won three individual titles with LIV Golf, but some critics have suggested his career has stalled.
Since linking up with LIV, his best finish in a major was a share of fourth place at the 2024 U.S. Open.
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Cameron Smith results 2024/2025
Tournament
Position
LIV Golf Riyadh
T25
LIV Golf Adelaide
30
LIV Golf Hong Kong
T20
LIV Golf Singapore
T19
LIV Golf Miami
T9
LIV Golf Mexico City
T5
LIV Golf Korea
T7
LIV Golf Virginia
T23
LIV Golf Dallas
T13
LIV Golf Andalucía
T7
LIV Golf United Kingdom
10
LIV Golf Chicago
T29
LIV Golf Indianapolis
T14
LIV Golf Michigan – Stroke Play
T44
Masters Tournament
MC
PGA Championship
MC
U.S. Open
MC
The Open
MC
BMW Australian PGA Championship
2
ISPS Handa Australian Open
T39
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
T71
Last season, Smith missed cuts in all four of men’s majors.
In November, Smith opened up on his struggles.
“I’ve played my whole career with really no expectation of playing well,” Smith said.
“I expected to prepare well and do all that stuff well
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“This year, maybe just with a lot of stuff at home happening, and expecting a lot more out of myself, particularly with how hard I’ve worked.
“It’s not how I’ve played golf in the last 10 years.
“It’s been difficult, but I just need to get back to how I (used to) think and that is just being cruisy and not worrying about a poor shot.”
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