LIV Golf Reportedly Targeting Cam Smith After Open Champ Gives Awkward Answer When Asked About Rumors

Less than 24 hours after Cam Smith blitzed the back nine at St. Andrews to win The Open, the Aussie is being linked to LIV Golf.

Smith's fellow countryman Greg Norman, the CEO of LIV Golf, is eyeing The Open champ to lead an all-Australian team in the Saudi-backed series, according to The Telegraph. Australian Adam Scott is also a target of LIV's, according to the report.

Shortly after hoisting the Claret Jug at St. Andrews, Smith was pressed by the media to address the rumors and speculation linking him to LIV Golf. The question made Smith frustrated, but by no means did he completely shut down the idea that he may be the next golfer to join the Saudi circuit.

“I just won the British Open, and you're asking about that. I think that's pretty not that good,” Smith said. “I don't know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I'm here to win golf tournaments.”

Smith saying that his team worries about that stuff is an extremely odd remark, and one that has to have the PGA Tour worrying that there could be some truth behind the rumors linking Smith to LIV Golf.

Former PGA Tour player and very plugged-in source Colt Knost added fuel to the fire tweeting Smith had been offered $90 million to jump ship and join LIV Golf.

https://twitter.com/ColtKnost/status/1548837517314510848?s=20&t=tBSUQ01mU8KPUb6Hjju2vg

While $90 million is a massive sum of money, it's significantly less than the six-figure deals Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Bryson DeChambeau reportedly signed when they joined LIV Golf.

Hypothetically speaking, Smith may have already signed his deal with LIV Golf before winning The Open. Taking down Rory McIlroy to win his first major had to have driven up his price tag, but the Saudis and Smith may have already struck a deal.

Another wrinkle in this situation is that Smith won The Players this year. With the PGA Tour already suspending all LIV golfers indefinitely, it would put the Tour in an interesting spot to have to shun the winner of the marquee event on Tour.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.