Cam Smith might still be at The PLAYERS this week…

Cam Smith should have been defending his PLAYERS Championship title this week.  

Instead, the Open champ will be watching from the sidelines as he serves a ban from the PGA Tour following his move to the LIV Golf League last August.  

Smith, 29, won the weather-delayed PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass last March, holding off fellow LIV convert Anirban Lahiri by one stroke.  

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However, whilst he is not permitted to play this week, he has joked that he could be tempted to show up and watch from the other side of the ropes.  

In an interview shared by GOLF.com, Smith was asked what his plans will be for this week’s tournament.  

Welcome home.#THEPLAYERS pic.twitter.com/zAGOSSNmmf

— THE PLAYERS (@THEPLAYERS) March 6, 2023

“I’m a little bit unsure, you know?” he replied. “That’s where I live now so I don’t know. I’ll definitely be watching on TV.” 

“I think it’s a great event to watch. I grew up my whole childhood watching the event and yeah, I’d love to get out there. I don’t know how it would be received but even getting out there and watching, walking around in the crowd might be pretty funny.” 

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Smith’s switch to LIV hasn’t just cost him the right to defend his PLAYERS title; it has also cost him the right to play and practice at TPC Sawgrass.  

In an interview with Golf Digest last month, he hinted at alternative plans for this week’s championship, insisting that he might go FISHING instead. 

“I think it’ll be a pretty quiet week on the water,” he said. “I think all the residents will be out watching the golf tournament. So I’ll be able to strap out and have the water to myself.” 

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor