LIV Golf Defector Cameron Smith Debunks Legend Nick Faldo’s Statement, Bolstering the $3 Billion Retention Question- “Here to Stay”

On June 6, 2023, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced that they had agreed to merge. The merger will thus create a new, unified golf tour that will combine the assets of the two sides as well as those of the DP World Tour. Ever since this $3 billion tie-up was announced, a huge controversy has sparked in the golf world, and now Aussie LIV star Cameron Smith has joined in too!

Although many intricacies of the merger remain unknown, it has certainly divided the golf world into two. On one side stand the likes of Sir Nick Faldo, who believes this partnership will be the downfall of LIV. However, there are many who don’t agree with him, including Smith, who recently openly voiced his disagreements with the 6-time major winner, silencing the fuss around LIV’s downfall post-merger.

Cameron Smith shuts down the anti-LIV talks

The news of the merger last month came as a shock to almost everyone in the golf world. However, with the updates that followed, many were led to believe that the union of the two sides was not as beneficial to the LIV stars as one might think. In fact, just last week, the 3-time green jacket winner, Faldo, even suggested that the Saudi side would soon dissolve because “Nobody’s really interested.”

However, others oppose this view of his, and that includes the Australian star, Cam Smith. When questioned about Nick Faldo’s remarks on the Saudi-backed series vanishing following the merger ahead of LIV Golf’s London event this week, he said, “I think team golf is here to stay.”

The golf pro further shed light on what he hoped LIV’s schedule would look like next year. He said, “Exactly like it is this year, 14 and 4 majors, I’d take that for the rest of my career.” As per him, the new series was perfect the way it was, and he didn’t believe that the merger with the other side could change any of that.

Smith joined LIV last summer and had an immensely successful first season. In 2023, however, he’s failed to replicate that incredible star and still awaits his first win of the season. Just last week too, he fell short of some strokes at the new series’ European event.

Read More: ‘Hopefully a Big Second Half’: Amid $25,000,000 LIV Golf Event, Cameron Smith Speaks Positive Words About His Team

A Look at Cameron Smith’s Performance in LIV Valderrama

Cameron Smith had an impressive start at the 2023 LIV Golf Invitational Andalucía, held at Real Club Valderrama in Spain last week. However, despite his and his team’s greatest efforts, they couldn’t take home a win. Individually, the 29-year-old pro finished tied for 12th, after shooting a three-round total of 212 (-1), 11 strokes behind the leader Talor Gooch.

His team, the Ripper GC, failed to bring their A game to the event as well and settled for a 10th-place finish on the team leaderboard. Nevertheless, the 2022 Open Championship winner took home $360,000 for his performance in Spain.

Overall, it is quite evident that Smith is happy with his decision to join LIV, and he is certain that the Saudi side will contribute well to the future of golf.

Do you agree with him? Or are you on Sir Nick’s side, hoping the International Series is soon no more? Let us know in the comments below.

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