Cameron Smith opens up on Greg Norman phone call that led to £80million LIV Golf move

Cam Smith became 1 of the large names to marque the determination to LIV Golf backmost successful 2022, with the Aussie making the power conscionable weeks aft being crowned Open champion

Cameron Smith has revealed Greg Norman reached out to him connected the phone implicit joining LIV Golf successful the aftermath of his 2022 Open Championship triumph astatine St Andrews.

Smith became 1 of the biggest names to permission the PGA Tour and articulation the LIV setup conscionable implicit 2 years ago, signing an eye-watering woody worthy a reported £80 million. At the time, the Australian was ranked arsenic the second-best subordinate successful the world, caller disconnected the back of becoming Open champion astatine the Home of Golf.

In the weeks pursuing his large triumph, Smith has revealed that LIV CEO - and chap Aussie - Norman reached retired to him connected the telephone to person him to marque the Saudi switch.

"There was a batch of question connected the Tour astatine the time, and agents would travel up to you," Smith told Straight Talk with Mark Bouris. "And past I retrieve it was aft The Open, Greg rang maine up and we had a truly bully chat. I spoke to a fewer truly bully friends that I knew I could thin connected successful the space.

"Then arsenic a squad we conscionable decided to spell for it." It has been nary concealed that Smith and co were offered lucrative signing deals to marque the determination to the LIV setup, but the erstwhile satellite No. 2 has admitted determination were a fig of different factors down his decision, speech from the cash.

"I spoke to a batch of people," Smith said of his decision. "I deliberation the things that I felt was that it was each inactive up successful the air, and was my vocation arsenic a golfer going to beryllium unafraid was the main question earlier thing else, and the reply was yes from everyone.

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"I mean similar americium I going to beryllium capable to play golf professionally? It was truthful caller astatine the start, we didn't cognize whether it was going to beryllium a twelvemonth oregon similar it is know, it has been conscionable a dream. That was the biggest question. The 2nd was playing little play and spending much clip successful Australia was truly important.

"Third was the concern determination and it was a beauteous large fig to sound down. I get to play play for the remainder of my beingness arsenic a professional, bash what I emotion successful Australia. Support inferior play and play successful Australia and I get to walk much clip here. It was a nary brainer."

Since making the mega-money move, Smith has enjoyed plentifulness of occurrence connected the LIV Golf circuit, winning 3 times connected the circuit individually crossed the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Whilst helium was incapable to unafraid a 4th idiosyncratic crown successful 2024, Smith and his Ripper GC teammates ended the twelvemonth by winning the Team Championship successful Dallas astatine the play finale successful September.