Cameron Smith, the prodigious Australian golfer, is in the spotlight, and not just for his impressive skills on the course. Since he decided to move to LIV Golf, many have questioned whether this transition has affected his performance. After a year marked by ups and downs, Smith made strong statements about his struggles, challenging the popular belief that money has diminished his passion for the game.
In a candid conversation with Ben Parsons from Today’s Golfer, Smith expressed his frustration with recent results, categorically rejecting the idea that the move to LIV Golf has negatively impacted his talent. “It’s frustrating because I don’t think if I was playing anywhere else, the results would have really changed. I had a tough year and it sucked. Particularly some of those events, the ones I really feel I should have done well in, and I didn’t,” Smith said, revealing the pressure he feels to live up to expectations.
He continued, “People see a mediocre performance and associate that with a tour change or a lack of effort. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. It’s just golf. If we take those four events out, I don’t think the season was that bad. It’s tough here, it’s tough everywhere. There are good players all around. It was just four bad weeks.”
Smith’s last individual triumph occurred in August 2023 at the LIV Golf Bedminster, a tournament that gained attention due to the presence of former President Donald Trump. Prior to that, in 2022, Smith experienced a year of glory, reaching second place in the world rankings and winning the Claret Jug at the 150th Open Championship in St. Andrews. However, the 2024 season brought a true nightmare: he finished without any individual victories for the first time since 2019, despite being a runner-up on several occasions, including losses in playoffs in Hong Kong and at the PIF Saudi International.
The situation worsened in 2025 when he became the first golfer to compete in and fail to make the cut in all four major championships — the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship — in a single year. This string of disastrous results raised crucial questions about Smith’s future in golf.
In a recent interview, Smith discussed his frustrations, particularly after a disastrous performance of 8 over par at the Royal Portrush Golf Club. “You’re constantly trying to understand what’s happening, whether you’re playing well or poorly. It’s been tough. I can’t pinpoint what’s wrong. I feel like the technical part of my swing is as good as ever, and I’m not getting the results I’d like,” he confessed.
Despite his personal struggles, Smith maintains a strong determination in his journey with LIV Golf. Recently, when the PGA Tour announced a “member return” program for players who have won significant titles since 2022, including Brooks Koepka, Smith was among those eligible, but chose to decline the offer. “I decided to come here and spend more time at home, and I’m not going to give that up. So, I’ll be with LIV for the next few years,” he stated, emphasizing his loyalty to the league and his team.
He added: “I would like to think that I’m a man of my word. What I set out to do, we are currently doing with the team [Ripper GC] and Golf Australia, so I couldn’t be happier.” For Smith, the value of the team format and the flexibility to spend more time with family in Australia outweigh any desire to return to his old schedule.
When asked if he believes he can return to his level from 2022, Smith was realistic: “2022 was a big year, and I would love to have another year like that. But it’s so hard to replicate. I feel that even if I play my best golf for the rest of my life in every tournament, I may never be able to do that again. Maybe I will, but it was a crazy year, and I want to get back to that level.”
Meanwhile, while his individual results have faced criticism, his team, Ripper GC, has been experiencing a phase of success. The Australian team, which includes Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, and Matt Jones, won the LIV Golf Team Championship 2024 in Dallas. With the addition of young Australian prodigy Elvis Smylie, who shone by winning the individual trophy in Riyadh, expectations for the team are high, especially with the upcoming tournament in Adelaide, Australia.
What is clear is that Smith is not willing to give up. He is determined to face the challenges that golf presents him and hopes that the home crowd will help him get back on the path to victory. The future promises to be exciting, and all eyes will be on Cameron Smith as he seeks to turn around his losing streak and reclaim his place among the greats of golf.
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