Cam Smith addresses LIV Golf transfer rumours

A winter of change has arrived at LIV Golf.

A new chief executive will soon replace frontman Greg Norman and speculation is ramping up over the possibility of several new signings joining the breakaway league.

For Cam Smith, however, it is very much of a case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

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Smith’s all-Australian Ripper GC team – comprising of Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones – lifted LIV’s team title in Dallas in September and will be one of the only a few teams not making a trade.

“Everything’s staying the same,” he told bunkered.co.uk after his first round 67 at the Asian Tour’s season-ending PIF Saudi International in Riyadh.

“It’s hard to change a team up when you’ve just when the team title. To be fair we played really solid all year. We could have played a few more events throughout the year, but that’s stuff we can work on. There’s no reason to change it.”

And that’s not to say there’s not been interest in his franchise, either.

LIV insiders are anticipating new recruits for 2025, with one team manager telling Sports Illustrated that his “phone is ringing off the hook” with players wanting to join his roster.

“I think so,” Smith said when asked if more players want to sign up. “It’s something I don’t have to worry about now we do have a GM. He gets a lot more than I do. For us, the young Australians are really keen to be involved – being here on the Asian Tour and the International Series. That’s really good.”

The rumour frenzy will ensue until LIV officially completes its roster before the end of the year. The name of Adam Scott, a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, has even been mooted among LIV’s followers as a dream potential signing ahead of 2025.

“I think anytime you get someone of that calibre coming to play your massive events, but we’ll wait and see,” Smith said, addressing that particular rumour.

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The 2022 Open champion arrived here at Riyadh Golf Club having enjoyed spent three weeks back home competing in tournaments in Australia. And despite facing the prospect of a first winless year since 2019, Smith seems more content with his current arrangement than ever.

“There’s a couple (PGA Tour events) I would like to play but I’m very happy out here to be honest,” he said when asked if there’s anything he misses about his old schedule. “That mindset for me has been and gone. I was happy coming over and making this tour the best it can be. I really enjoy my time in Australia and playing a couple extra events this year was pretty cool.

“I made my bed and I’m very happy to sleep in it.”

Smith, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann and Talor Gooch are among the LIV players within three shots off the lead at Asian Tour’s season-ending showpiece after Wednesday’s opening round.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.