Cameron Smith does not believe it is fair that members of LIV Golf have been denied official world golf rankings points for playing in tournaments for the Saudi-Arabian funded tour.
“I think it’s really a shame that we are not getting world ranking points out here,” Smith told reporters in his first press conference since joining LIV Golf at The International outside Boston. “To have 48 of the best, you know, guys around the world playing, and not to get world ranking points, I think is perhaps a little bit unfair.
“You know, it’s still super competitive out here. I think, yeah, I just really think it’s a little bit unfair.”
The Open Champion and World No. 2 golfer was among six players to leave the PGA Tour for Saudi-funded LIV Golf, which returns this week for a fourth tournament.
The signing of Smith, who had been deflecting questions about his imminent departure since the day he won the claret jug, gives Greg Norman his first player from the top 10 in the world.
Smith, a 29-year-old from Australia, rose to No. 2 in the world ranking after winning at St. Andrews. He could have reached No. 1 with a victory at the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
LIV Golf has applied to the Official World Golf Ranking board, and their file is under review.
“I hope that these world ranking points will sort themselves out before my exemption is up,” Smith said. “To the fans of major championship golf, it may be a little bit unfair on them. I think (the) majors is about having the best guys in the best field on the best golf courses. Hopefully, we can sort that out.”
The PGA Tour is suspending members as soon as they put a ball in play at LIV Golf events.
Others to sign are Marc Leishman, a six-time PGA Tour winner from Australia who at age 38 has dropped out of the top 50 in the world, and three others who leave without ever having won on the PGA Tour — Americans Harold Varner III and Cameron Tringale, and Anirban Lahiri of India.
Smith and Joaquin Niemann, who is from Chile, were among the eight qualifiers for the International team at the Presidents Cup, which will be played in a month at Quail Hollow. Leishman and Lahiri previously have played in the matches.
Because the PGA Tour exclusively operates the Presidents Cup — unlike the Ryder Cup, which Europe operates on home soil — players who join LIV Golf are not eligible.
Niemann, 23, considered joining the rival league in February until Phil Mickelson's disparaging comments about the Saudis and the PGA Tour stalled the launch of LIV Golf. Niemann then won the Genesis Invitational at Riviera and cited the competition and history as reasons he wanted to stay on the PGA Tour.
Along with winning the Open Championship for his first major, Smith won The Players Championship in March by one shot over Lahiri. Paul Casey was two shots behind, and now all three players have joined LIV Golf.
Along with big signing bonuses — The Daily Telegraph reported $150 million for Smith — players compete for $25 million in prize money at each of the LIV Golf Invitational events.
The Boston event is at The International, which about 45 minutes west of Boston. LIV Golf takes off next week because of the European tour flagship event at Wentworth in England, and then returns Sept. 16-18 to the Chicago suburbs.
Fresh off his victory at the FedEx Cup, Rory McIlroy made it known that "it's going to be hard for me to stomach," going to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and competing against members of the LIV Golf series the DP World Tour event.
“If you believe in something I think you have to speak up, and I believe very strongly about this,” McIlroy said. “I really do. I hate what it’s doing to the game of golf. I hate it. I really do. It’s going to be hard for me to stomach going to Wentworth and seeing 18 of them there. That just doesn’t sit right with me.
“So yes, I feel strongly. I believe what I’m saying are the right things, and I think when you believe that what you’re saying is the right things, you’re happy to stick your neck out on the line.”
-With files from the Associated Press
