Cam Smith follows Jon Rahm’s lead with calls for significant LIV Golf change

Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith are among the LIV Golf stars keen to see a links event added to the breakaway league’s schedule in order to better prepare for The Open

Top golfers like Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith are putting pressure on LIV Golf executives to introduce a links event, aiming to increase their chances of competing at The Open. This year’s major saw no challenge from any LIV Golf player, but Rahm and Smith are hopeful for significant changes in the operations of the Saudi-based breakaway league.

Both Rahm and Smith are considered among the most likely players to win a major on the LIV roster. However, the lack of a links event hinders their preparation for the tournament, unlike their PGA Tour competitors.

Xander Schauffele chose to participate in the challenging Scottish Open and ended up winning the Claret Jug – a route taken by many previous winners. In contrast, Rahm, Smith, and other LIV members played at Valderrama in Spain, which bears little resemblance to conditions at Troon.

Smith, who won the 150th edition of The Open in 2022, described the two locations as the “two polar opposites of golf” and hopes to convince higher-ups to introduce a links event. Speaking in Brisbane before the Queensland PGA, the Australian stated: “I don’t know if it’ll happen next year, but definitely in the future it’s something that we want to do.”

Rahm, who supports this idea, plans to discuss with his fellow LIV golfers about expressing formal interest to the league’s organizers.

However, the Spanish golfer acknowledges that initiating such a move isn’t as simple as it seems due to various factors. “Obviously, LIV management have contracts in place with some venues and plans in the future,” he shared with Golf Digest back in July.