Evin Priest
Cameron Smith answers the phone from Versailles, where the Australian golfer is contesting the French Open on the European Tour.
“Bonjour,” he says, breaking into laughter.
The 2022 British Open champion joined former US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood this week at Le Golf National, an hour from Paris. Smith was a late and surprise addition to make his event debut.
“Mate, I had never even been to France before this week,” Smith said.
So, why now?
It’s among a handful of late-year events to help Smith stay competitive until December, when he hopes to win a maiden Australian Open crown after two second places, including a crushing, final-hole bogey at Royal Melbourne last year.
There will be a three-month gap between the end of the LIV Golf season that finished in late August and the 2026 Australian summer schedule.
“I put the clubs down for a couple of weeks, then had a couple of really solid weeks practising,” Florida-based Smith said.
“Now, I’m trying to get in competition mode for Australia. I’ve said it a hundred times, but I’d love to knock off the Aussie Open. That’s kind of why I’m here [in France].”
Unfortunately for Smith, he went on to miss the cut in the French Open, finishing on two-over after two double-bogeys from his last three holes.
Meanwhile, 7000 kilometres away in Chicago, the International team that Smith starred for in 2019 is taking on the US at the Presidents Cup. LIV golfers such as Smith and Lucas Herbert are banned from the PGA Tour, which runs the biennial cup.
Smith’s close mate Adam Scott is making his 12th appearance for the Internationals, while another friend, British Open champion Ryan Fox, is making his debut.
“I’ve definitely accepted it,” Smith said about not playing the Presidents Cup since joining LIV in 2022.
“I knew that was one of the, I guess, downsides to going to LIV, and I’ve fully accepted that. I sent Scotty a message congratulating him on a great week [equal second at the BMW PGA] at Wentworth, and wishing him the best for the Presidents Cup. I’d love to see him win one.”
There are some upsides for Smith leaving the PGA Tour for LIV. Having won the British Open at St Andrews and Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in 2022, Smith’s LIV signing bonus was reportedly more than $200 million.
LIV, then led by Greg Norman, built a successful tournament in Adelaide around the popular Smith. Smith also poured some of his money back into Australian grassroots golf, including his annual scholarship, where he flies two junior players to the US for a week of training with him.
The downsides? Smith fell into a slump on LIV’s 54-hole events with their 48-player fields and shotgun starts. He managed career-best results at the 2023 US Open (fourth) and PGA Championship (tied ninth), but after that, missed six cuts in a row at the majors from the 2024 British Open to this year’s Masters.
The 33-year-old, now a father, has been called out for his performances in the majors. Often, his LIV move is cited as a key reason. Smith believes it would have been a slump on any tour.
“Every sportsperson in history has been criticised for something,” the world No.142 said.
“I know I haven’t played my best golf the last couple of years. It eats at you a little bit, and you try to get out of the slump.”
In May, Smith was in contention deep into the PGA Championship outside Philadelphia, but tied for seventh. There are some signs his game is returning.
Now, Smith has a decision to make. His five-year exemption into the majors from his British Open victory ends in 2027. Smith needs to play on a tour with direct pathways into the big four.
When Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrew its financing of LIV Golf in April, the league filed for bankruptcy. It is restructuring for 2027, including trying to convince golfers such as Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and others to stay for “LIV 2.0” using a player equity and a 10-event schedule as lures.
LIV reportedly has found an investor willing to inject $US300 million ($426 million) if enough big names sign on.
Asked where he stands on LIV, and whether he would continue should the new version go ahead, Smith wasn’t sure either way.
“[We’re] in a bit of a limbo … we don’t really know,” he said. “It’s hard to make a decision when you don’t have at least some of the answers to make the right decision, or [any] decision. We need a few more answers.”
Smith can choose to stay with LIV or play on the DP World Tour while waiting out a 12-month suspension from the PGA Tour, where he was a six-time winner.
“I guess that’s one way; the other way is LIV,” he said.
Ultimately, the majors will define Smith’s career. Next year, apart from the Masters, the US Open returns to Pebble Beach and the British Open to St Andrews. The PGA Championship heads to a new Dallas course.
Winning another major would help Smith’s schedule and, more importantly, his legacy. His British Open triumph, joint runner-up at Augusta and multiple top-five results at the US Open are proof Smith was born for the majors.
“That’s what I’m trying to get back to,” he said. “I used to play my best golf on the biggest stages. That hasn’t been the case the past couple of years. There are four really nice venues next year that I know I can compete at.”
As for the Australian summer, fans will next see him at the PGA at The Lakes in Sydney (November 26-29) and the Open (December 3-6) at Melbourne’s famed Kingston Heath.
Smith will be a man on a mission.
“The goal is to be as prepared for [the Australian Open] as I possibly can and hopefully end the season with a bang,” he said.
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