Cameron Smith on winning the Open and criticism after joining LIV Golf

• Golf

Cameron Smith wowed fans by winning the Open Championship last year. Many expected even greater things from him in the future on the PGA Tour. However, the Australian was already thinking about LIV Golf back then and probably made a decision.

The reporters knew this, and they were 'driving' Smith crazy with questions about his 'potential' departure to the rival Tour. A year later, Cameron now confirms that such questions frustrated him, and his success was overshadowed by them.

"Yeah, it was definitely, I guess, a frustrating media conference after the Open," -the Australian said. "I think, like you said, perhaps a little bit overshadowed that I'd probably just won the biggest tournament that I'll ever play in and someone was asking that."

Cameron Smith and his decision

When you make such a decision, you are aware that some consequences must follow.

Smith certainly thought for a long time about whether to join LIV Golf. In the end, he made the decision, but he knew that he would receive criticism through social media. "But as I look back on that, it's just a guy trying to do his job.

I suppose it was a little bit harder from then onwards, definitely whilst making the decision, just some nasty stuff, I suppose, said by the keyboard warriors. I knew it was going to be tough, but I feel since I made the decision, I made the right one." LIV Golf allowed them much more free time than they had on the PGA Tour.

"Exactly like it is this year would be perfect for me," Smith said on schedule. "14 and four majors, I'd take that for the rest of my career." After the merger, there were rumors that LIV Golf would disappear in the future.

Smith, however, expects big things. "I think we're going to see how stuff unfolds. It's probably still a little bit early to assume, but yeah, I felt I made the right decision for multiple reasons. I think the last few weeks is another tick in the box for all us guys."