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Cameron Smith, World No. 2 Golfer and British Open Champ, Defects to LIV

The 29-year-old Australian star said money “was definitely a factor” in his decision to jump ship from the PGA Tour.

Cameron Smith, the 29-year-old golfer ranked second in the world and this year’s British Open winner, is set to join LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed rival league to the PGA Tour. He and five other PGA players are expected to play in LIV’s fourth event, a tournament in Massachusetts that tees off Friday. The loss of Smith, who also emerged victorious in March’s Players Championship, will wound PGA, which has fought tooth and nail to keep its players from participating in LIV events. The details of his deal with LIV have not been publicly shared, but reports have estimated it to be in excess of $100 million. “[Money] was definitely a factor in making that decision,” Smith told Golf Digest of his motivation for switching tours, “I won’t ignore that or say that wasn’t a reason.” But the main reason for accepting the “offer he couldn’t ignore,” as Smith called it, was schedule-based. “I'll be able to spend more time at home in Australia and maybe have an event down there, as well,” he said.