Greg Norman helped convince Cam Smith to make a $140million move to the rebel LIV tour by giving him a pitch-perfect phone call after the Aussie won the British Open
- Cameron Smith was convinced to join LIV Golf by Aussie hero Greg Norman
- The Queenslander received a phone call from the legend after the British Open
- On Tuesday, LIV announced the signing of Smith for a reported $140million
- Smith admitted that money was ‘a factor’ in his decision to quit the PGA Tour
A phone call shortly after his British Open victory played a big role in convincing Cameron Smith to abandon the PGA Tour in favor of LIV Golf – and $140million.
The guy on the other line? Greg Norman.
The Great White Shark single-handedly led LIV’s pursuit of the game’s top talents, with the financial support of the competition’s Saudi Arabian backers.
A phone call from Greg Norman convinced Cameron Smith to drop the PGA Tour for LIV Golf
But in Smith, Norman saw an opportunity to reward one of the PGA’s top stars at the peak of his powers.
‘Well done Smithy, join the club,’ Norman told Australia’s new major winner, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. ‘I always believe in you.’
The Aussie legend then laid down a flawless pitch to Smith, and the wheels were set in motion for one of the biggest deals in the sport.
The Great White Shark contacted the Queenslander after he won the British Open last month
The press quickly picked up on the links between Smith and the controversial new golf competition, with reports suggesting the Queenslander had been offered a staggering $140m to jump ship.
After weeks of speculation, the sport’s worst-kept secret was confirmed on Tuesday night, with Smith unveiled as a new signing for the Saud-backed tournament – their biggest acquisition to date.
His team insisted the move was a ‘business decision’ and despite receiving widespread criticism from fans, Smith said that while money was ‘a factor’, the scheduling at LIV Golf was the real attracted to him.
Smith joined the Saudi-backed competition in a reported $140million deal
‘(Money) was definitely a factor in making that decision, I’m not going to ignore that,’ Smith said.
‘The biggest thing for me is (LIV’s) schedule is really appealing. I’ll be able to spend more time at home in Australia and maybe have an event there.’
Smith joins a host of other top names to defect, including Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, as well as European Ryder Cup veterans Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey and Sergio Garcia.
