{"id":4618,"date":"2025-07-19T01:37:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T01:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/4618\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T01:37:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T01:37:13","slug":"cameron-smiths-220m-mistake-laid-bare-as-shane-lowry-blasts-cheating-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/4618\/","title":{"rendered":"Cameron Smith’s $220m mistake laid bare as Shane Lowry blasts ‘cheating’ claims"},"content":{"rendered":"

Golf <\/a>pundits are once again questioning Cameron Smith’s decision to take the money<\/a> on offer in LIV, after he missed the cut at The Open for the second-straight year. On a disastrous day for the Aussies at Royal Portrush, only Marc Leishman survived.<\/p>\n

Jason Day (+2) missed the cut by just one shot, while Adam Scott (+9), Smith (+8), Min Woo Lee (+5), Elvis Smylie (+3), Curtis Luck (+8), Lucas Herbert (+4) and Ryan Peake (+8) all joined him. Leishman finished the second round at -1, but nine shots behind imperious leader Scottie Sheffler.<\/p>\n

\"Shane<\/p>\n

Cameron Smith failed to make the cut once again, while Shane Lowry was caught in a rules controversy. Image: Getty\/The Open<\/p>\n

For 2022 Open champion Smith<\/a>, it marked the second-straight year of missing the cut at the major where he triumphed three years ago. He’s failed to make the weekend rounds at all four majors this year, and questions are once again being asked about how his career has faltered.<\/p>\n

The Queenslander was on top of the world in 2022 when he won at St Andrews. But he’s fallen into relative obscurity after taking a reported $220 million offer to join the rebel LIV Golf tour in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“LIV is where players go to die. Smith, Johnson, Koepka, Reed, Nieman…all shells of their former selves,” one person wrote on social media. Another commented: “In a world without LIV Golf there is a 0% chance Cam Smith goes 0\/4 at Majors for made cuts and you can not convince me otherwise.”<\/p>\n

Cam Smith was at the peak of his career before taking the LIV money .<\/p>\n

\u2014 Paul Cox (@PaulCox40) July 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Cam Smith fall off is crazy.. Another LIV golf casualty. Hate to see it<\/p>\n

\u2014 Otis Kirk (@otis_kirk7) July 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The Cam Smith falloff needs to be studied after joining LIV.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Rizzo (@Rizzo_011) July 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Agreed, Koepka\u2019s time has come and gone, he\u2019s a dad and seems like he\u2019s cool with where he\u2019s at. But Smith should be competing in majors and in actuality, he\u2019s not been all that competitive on LIV either.<\/p>\n

\u2014 David Gouveia (@DPG35029) July 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Scottie Scheffler on fire at The Open<\/p>\n

Leishman was frustrated by the slow pace of play on the opening day, but he was let off the leash on Friday and the result was by far the best round from any of the Aussies. He shot a three-under 68 to make the weekend – the only one of his compatriots to do so.<\/p>\n

World No.1 Scheffler rose to the top of the British Open leaderboard at halfway, looking every inch a champion-in-waiting with a majestic round of 64. The American superstar cruised into pole position late on Friday evening on the Dunluce links at 10-under par, one shot clear of English hope of 2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.<\/p>\n

\"Cameron<\/p>\n

Cameron Smith’s decision to join LIV Golf has been called into question once again. (Photo by Andrew Redington\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Shane Lowry blasts ‘cheating’ suggestions<\/p>\n

Shane Lowry – the 2019 Open champion – narrowly avoided missing the cut after being handed a controversial two-stroke penalty. The Irishman caused his ball to move slightly during a practice swing on the 12th hole, but said he didn’t see it move so didn’t report it to officials.<\/p>\n

He was then informed on the 15th hole that he was under investigation, and post-round he was told he’d been assessed a two-stroke penalty for the indiscretion. The 38-year-old said he would have called a penalty on himself if he realised the ball had moved, and blasted suggestions he’d tried to cheat.<\/p>\n

“The last thing I want to do is sit there and argue and not take the penalty and then get slaughtered all over social media tonight for being a cheat,” said the World No.18. “I’m disappointed that they don’t have more camera angles on it.<\/p>\n

“The one zoomed in slow motion – they’re trying to tell me if it doesn’t move from the naked eye, if you don’t see it moving, it didn’t move. I told them I definitely was looking down towards the ball as I was taking that practice swing, and I didn’t see it move.”<\/p>\n

Scheffler was quick to defend his rival. \u201cIt\u2019s frustrating for me as a competitor of his to watch him have to deal with that because the last thing you want to be known in the game is as somebody who cheats,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a very tough situation for Shane to be put in, and I thought he handled it really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not a Shane Lowry fan for a lot of reasons, but I think officials did him dirty with this penalty. I\u2019ve watched this 100x and STILL not sure if it moved. And if it did, how do you know he CAUSED it to move when it\u2019s windy & raining? You don\u2019t lol.
pic.twitter.com\/oClTBcAB9T<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pro Golf Critic (@ProGolfCritic) July 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

with agencies<\/p>\n