Cameron Smith refuses to be drawn on LIV Golf reports

Open champion Cameron Smith declined to comment on reports that he had agreed to participate in the LIV golf tournament.

On Tuesday, Cameron Percy suggested his fellow Australians Smith and Marc Leishman had agreed to star in the controversial Saudi-backed series. Reports suggest Smith could get US$100 million (£82.8 million) to make the switch.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis, Smith did not deny the report as he refused to be intrigued about his future.

“My goal here is to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs,” said the 28-year-old. “That’s all I’m here for.

“If there’s anything I need to say about the PGA Tour or the LIV, it’s going to come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy.

“I am a man of my word and whenever you need to know anything, I will say it.

“Like I said, I came here to play the FedEx Cup playoffs. That’s been my focus for the past week and a half, that’s what I’m here to do. I’m here to win the FedEx Cup playoffs.”

Smith has said that he plans to play in the President’s Cup in September, which could at least suggest that any move towards the LIV series is not imminent as such a move would make participation His property in Charlotte, North Carolina next month is at risk.

“It’s something we’ve been looking forward to for the past three years,” Smith said. “We missed a year because of Covid and that’s what I look forward to being a part of.”

Smith also declined to address reports linking him to LIV Golf following his stunning Open win at St Andrews last month, when he overturned a four-shot deficit with a final round of 64, finished under 20 points to beat Tiger Woods 22 years -about the record.