Cameron Smith joins FIVE others in move to LIV Golf Invitational Series

British Open champion Cameron Smith has turn into the newest main participant to sign up to the breakaway LIV Golf Invitational Series which on Tuesday introduced that he was in the sector for its subsequent occasion.

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The Australian was certainly one of six new recruits for the Saudi-backed tour for the LIV Golf Invitational Boston, from 2-4 September.

As the world’s quantity two, the 29-year-old Smith will turn into the highest-ranked participant to compete in a LIV Golf Invitational Series occasion.

Smith was linked repeatedly to LIV Golf shortly after successful the one hundred and fiftieth British Open, at St Andrews, final month, however prevented dialogue of the topic whereas enjoying in this month’s PGA FedEx Cup playoffs.

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A LIV statement issued on Tuesday mentioned Smith could be amongst 5 different gamers making their debuts amongst a subject of 48 on the International in Massachusetts together with compatriot Marc Leishman, main Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann, Harold Varner III (world no 46), Cameron Tringale (55) and India’s top-ranked professional Anirban Lahiri (92).

LIV Golf’s report $25 million purses and 54-hole format have attracted a number of big-name gamers, together with Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson.

But its creation has sparked a bitter cut up with the established PGA Tour and a flurry of lawsuits.

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Four-time main champion Rory McIlroy, has been certainly one of LIV Golf’s most outspoken critics amongst gamers.

And the 33-year-old from Northern Ireland rammed house his level on Sunday after successful the $18 million prime prize in the season-ending PGA Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.

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“It means an awful lot,” McIlroy mentioned.

“This is an incredibly proud moment for me but it should also be an incredibly proud moment for the PGA Tour. They have had some hard times this year but we’re getting through it.”

LIV gamers have confronted powerful questions over Saudi Arabia’s human rights report and have been accused of greed in chasing the massive rewards on supply.

The likes of McIlroy have successfully instructed LIV occasions will not be rather more than exhibition golf, with no midway minimize and small fields collaborating in 54-hole occasions somewhat than the standard 72.

But final week PGA commissioner Jay Monahan mentioned tour gamers had agreed to compete in 20 occasions subsequent season, included 12 “elevated” stops with $20 million in prize cash and minimal season pay quantities for totally exempt gamers.

England’s Lee Westwood, amongst those that jumped to LIV Golf for its report $25 million purses, informed Golf Digest in an interview printed on Friday that he sees the PGA as making an attempt to duplicate what LIV Golf has already carried out.

“I laugh at what the PGA Tour players have come up with,” Westwood informed the journal.

“It’s only a copy of what LIV is doing. There are a whole lot of hypocrites on the market.

“They all say LIV is ‘not competitive.’ They all point at the no-cut aspect of LIV and the short fields. Now, funnily enough, they are proposing 20 events that look a lot like LIV.”

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

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