THE OPEN CHAMPION Cameron Smith became the leading player to sign up to the breakaway LIV Golf Series when it was announced ON Tuesday the Australian had joined the Saudi-backed tour.
Smith was one of six new recruits announced in the field for the LIV Golf Invitational Boston, being played from 2-4 September.
Joaquin Niemann, Marc Leishman, Anirban Lahiri, Harold Varner III and Cameron Tringale have also joined.
As the world’ s number two golfer, the 29-year-old Smith will become the highest-ranked player to compete in a LIV Golf event.
Smith was linked repeatedly to LIV Golf shortly after winning the 150th British Open, at St Andrews, last month, but avoided discussion of the subject while playing in this month’s PGA FedEx Cup playoffs.
Welcome to LIV Cameron Smith 👋#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/XhZeAyneyg
— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) August 30, 2022
A LIV statement issued on Tuesday said Smith would be among five other players making their LIV debuts among a field of 98 at the International in Massachusetts including compatriot Leishman, leading Chilean golfer Niemann, Varner III (world no 46), Tringale (55) and India’s top-ranked pro Lahiri (92).
LIV Golf’s record $25 million purses and 54-hole format has attracted several big-name players, including 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 split with the established US PGA tour.
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