Rory McIlroy Reveals Conversation With Cam Smith Amid LIV Golf Speculation

The four-time Major champion wanted to ensure the World No.2 made an informed decision on his future

Rory McIlroy and Cameron Smith met two days after the Aussie's Open win
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy has revealed he met Cameron Smith after the Aussie’s Open victory in a bid to ensure he didn’t agree to join LIV Golf without being aware of the PGA Tour’s plans.

The World No.2 is widely expected to be one of the five or more players set to announce they’re joining LIV Golf next week, but McIlroy says that while he’s all for individuals making their own decisions to suit their own circumstances, he thinks some guys have agreed to leave the PGA Tour without being in possession of all the facts. Following last week’s players’ meeting, the PGA Tour has announced unprecedented changes in an effort to stave off the threat of LIV Golf.

McIlroy said: “I had a conversation with Cameron Smith two days after the Open. Firstly I wanted to congratulate him, but also, guys that are thinking one way or another, honestly I don’t care if they leave or not, it’s not gonna make a difference to me, but I would at least like people to make a decision that is completely informed and basically know this is what’s coming down the pipeline, this is what you may be leaving behind.

“I just don’t want people making decisions, hearing information from one side and not from another. That’s sort of been my whole thing this entire time - I’ve always said this, guys can do whatever they want, guys can make a decision that they feel is best for themselves and for their families, but I just love guys to make decisions on all of the facts, and sometimes I don’t feel some guys made those decisions based on having all the facts in front of them.”

Smith will start the Tour Championship six shots back from Scottie Scheffler having been forced to sit out the BMW Championship because of injury. When the FedEx Cup is over, another raft of players are set to announce their intention to join LIV Golf, with the Brisbane-born 29-year-old the most high profile. He won his first Major last month, lifting the Claret Jug at St Andrews.

Jeff Kimber
Freelance Staff Writer

Jeff graduated from Leeds University in Business Studies and Media in 1996 and did a post grad in journalism at Sheffield College in 1997. His first jobs were on Slam Dunk (basketball) and Football Monthly magazines, and he's worked for the Sunday Times, Press Association and ESPN. He has faced golfing greats Sam Torrance and Sergio Garcia, but on the poker felt rather than the golf course. Jeff's favourite course played is Sandy Lane in Barbados, which went far better than when he played Matfen Hall in Northumberland, where he crashed the buggy on the way to the 1st tee!