There’s been enough smoke this week to indicate that there actually is, some fire.
With an upcoming LIV circus event set for this week outside Boston, The Lamest Commissioner In All The Land (aka Greg Norman, aka The Great White Fishstick) has convinced a couple of high-profile Aussies to bolt from the PGA Tour.
The Brisbane Mullet (aka Cam Smith) will be packing his bags and with The Lamest Commissioner promising to have three LIV events in Australia, no doubt The Brisbane Mullet will be headed home to be with friends and family. Same for Leishman. Smith, ranked No. 2 in the world and a candidate for PGA Tour Player Of The Year, is the biggest fish in the tiny LIV tank.
Others expect to defect are winless Cameron Tringale and Harold Varner III. Another high-ranked player seemingly headed to the get paid before you play league is Joaquin Niemann — a young talent, two-time Tour winner and the No. 18 in the Official World Golf Rankings. With the likes of Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter tumbling in the world rankings, some new blood was desperately needed by the Saudi-money-backed league.
After his round on Sunday at East Lake, Smith refused to talk to the media when asked if he was heading to the LIV. Neimann had the same refusal act as well.
In addition to those guys, outliers Anirban Lahiri and Mito Pereira are said to be leaving.
With so many international names leaving, looks like Presidents Cup International captain Trevor Immelman isn’t too happy.
In other LIV scuttlebutt, LIV itself is joining the anti-trust complaint against the PGA Tour. Two players have already left that plaintiff list.
Thriston Lawrence Wins Playoff At European Masters:
South African Thriston Lawrence won for the second time on the DP World Tour when Matt Wallace three-putted on the first playoff hole at the Omega European Masters.
Both finished at 18-under for the regulation 72 holes and it took only one trip back down the par four 18th. Wallace found himself on the back of the green and was unable to get down in two as Lawrence picked up his par with two putts from 25 feet.
Lawrence began the day at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf club with a three-shot lead. He finished with 69 and Wallace’s 66 caught him.
“There’s so much history around this event, all the past champions, so I can’t wait to get my hands on that trophy,” Lawrence said after shaking Wallace’s hand. “It’s a tricky golf course, you can lose a few shots, especially around the 14th, 15th, par fives – you can make a silly mistake and another guy can make birdies. But I’m just happy with my patience this week and I’m just so pleased to be able to win this week.”
Reto Holds On, Wins Women’s Canadian Open:
It took her 157 starts on the LPGA Tour — now Paula Reto is finally a winner on the LPGA Tour.
The 32-year-old South African shot a final round 67 at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club and won the Women’s Canadian Open by a shot over Nelly Korda and Hye-Jin Choi.
She shot a pair of 67s over the weekend for a 19-under winning total.
“I’m really, really excited and just proud of myself for being able to stick through the shots and the routines. Sometimes I find that’s really hard to do, especially if you know you have only a few holes left,” said Reto. “But I was really nervous, especially I started pulling a few shots and I told myself, okay, just stay in the moment and breathe. You go through all those things that you think will help.”
With the win, Reto became the season’s second winner from South Africa, joining Ashleigh Buhai (AIG Women’s Open).
Reto’s week started with a career-best 9-under 62 to set the course and tournament scoring record, as well as tie the low round of the LPGA Tour season. She stayed in contention all week and started the final day one stroke off the lead. Her morning was pure adrenaline, with Reto making the turn carrying a four-stroke lead on the strength of five front-nine birdies.
But on the back nine, she admitted that the nerves came out and the birdies stopped flowing. “I started putting on the brakes, and that’s probably not what you want to do,” Reto said. “I haven’t really much been in this position, and I was just trying to control myself and be in the moment.”
15 Comments
baxter cepeda
With all due respect I can’t read this article. If I have to read another article about these same upcoming moves I’m gonna scream. It’s been weeks and weeks of this same article from everyone. Enough already. Now let’s wait for something to actually happen !
Tom Edrington
Where there’s smoke there’s fire and there’s a lot of smoke pouring out of these guys…..cowardly moves by Smith and Niemann running away from the media when asked straight forward…..
baxter cepeda
Seems smart and necessary more than cowardly.
I haven’t seen anyone troll Joaquin; but Cam has been a boss deflecting all the biased questions coming from Monahans propaganda machines.
Tom Edrington
Ah, LIV-loving Baxter the “Saudi” propaganda machine
forky76
I am just curious.. havent really seen this angle addressed anywhere online.
Assuming Cam Smith joins LIV today as expected, he could well also resign from the pga tour. I believe he has said in the media he will retain his aussie tour membership and plans to play the aussie open later this year. Why would he then receive a pga tour ban as he will not have broken any rules as a non member.
The international presidents cup team has selected players before who are not pga tour members, some Japanese players come to mind. As the world #2 and no 1 qualifier for the presidents cup, why couldn’t he be selected to play?
All this is a moot point if he does not resign from the pga tour.. but it becomes very interesting if he does.
Tom Edrington
Uh, Forky, the Presidents Cup is staged and controlled by the PGA Tour….players aren’t banned until they actually tee it up in a LIV event and Presidents Cup points are earned by finishes in PGA Tour events, for the most part.
forky76
I believe the international teams qualification is based on world rankings, so as to include all international players, many of whom are not pga tour members. The pga tour has not banned Travis Smyth, for example, because he is not a pga tour member and broken any membership rules. It has only banned pga tour members who have broken the rule of teeing it up without a release. So if Cam Smith becomes a non member, why shouldn’t he be treated like Travis Smyth?
Tom Edrington
As of this moment, Cam is, indeed, still a PGA Tour member, they don’t get suspended until they actually tee it up……again, the Presidents Cup is owned and sanctioned by the PGA Tour, just as the Ryder Cup is owned and sanctioned by PGA of America and DP World Tour.
baxter cepeda
Tom to be clear If Cam was suspended by the pga tour for teeing it up it does not mean he is no longer a pga tour member.
He has to give that up himself.
Tom Edrington
Some have given it up, haven’t heard if he has yet, when they hit the first ball in a LIV event they are suspended….
baxter cepeda
I’m not sure cam has given up him pga tour membership. But I understand what you are saying forky.
baxter cepeda
Good questions.
The answer is the pga tour is cutting its nose to spite itself.
My take here is for all the exhibition talk the presidents cup truly is an unbalanced exhibition which will be missing tons of stars from both sides.
The amateur team competitions are officially more important and at least representing of the future stars of the sport than the PC.
This thing is shaking up to be not must see tv, much less a must work a diminished event for free event.
If I’m cam and I’m not wanted for the presidents cup, then good riddance. One more week of ‘me’ time which is always nice when you have that much money.
The Ryder cup has incredible history and it will be sad to see how the pga tours foolishness will effect it; something the pga of America would be fools to let the pga tour —whom took tournament golf from them—now diminish the Ryder cup…but the presidents cup is still in its infancy, it’s really not been competitive, and now it will be missing tons of stars.
All the talk about wanting to know who will be there for golf events; was something we mostly knew with these team events; but that is no more. Who the heck will be there is anyone’s guess but it certainly won’t be the 12 best Americans and the 12 best internationals.
I like these team events but haven’t been too concerned if I’m too busy to watch. Now I could be completely up to nothing and could still miss the presidents cup without batting an eye.
Cam really wouldn’t be missing much at this point.
If I’m any of these guys I don’t see the point in working for free for this thing. I really don’t.
Tom Edrington
Truth be known, I sure didn’t miss Cam at the Tour Championship, he was a non-factor and I don’t remember seeing him get any weekend air time; I’ve never been a Presidents Cup fan….it’s just something to keep the US Ryder Cup guys sharp in the “offseason”…between RC matches
baxter cepeda
Eye roll
First of all it’s for the Iva tour to make more money. Pga tour players don’t need more play.
Tom would probably be happy watching Rory just playing alone so long as he sees some pga tour signs around.
Lol.
Tom Edrington
Baxter, I’ve check some polls run on other sites asking if fans are going to watch LIV events; On one site, 86 percent said NO, on another it was 82 percent saying NO!! Even with Cam joining, another poll, 85 percent still said NO, so Baxter, we welcome you to the FIFTEEN PERCENT CLUB!!!