Cam Smith has described claims that PGA Tour players have a competitive edge over their LIV Golf rivals as 'BS', after the former Open champion impressed at last week's Masters.
Smith was the joint-top performer from the 13 LIV stars in action at Augusta, after finishing in a tie for sixth alongside Bryson DeChambeau at two-under-par for the week. One other member from the breakaway circuit broke their way into the top-10, as Tyrrell Hatton finished the tournament in a tie for ninth at level-par.
It is fair to say however that the LIV roster failed to stamp the same authority on the Masters leaderboard as they did last year, which saw three of their members in Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed rank among the top-five players.
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Whilst in action at the iconic Georgia course Smith rubbished the claims, having seen his fellow LIV stars thrive on the major stage for the most part. Just weeks after their impressive showing at the 2023 Masters, the breakaway league banked its first major title as Koepka won the PGA Championship at Oak Hill, with Smith and DeChambeau also inside the top-10.
“No. No, that’s BS," Smith said when asked if LIV had less competitive advantage than PGA Tour rivals, according to FOX Sports Australia.
Question marks had been raised by six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo, who doubted Jon Rahm's ability to defend the green jacket last week having made the move to LIV for 2024. "I think he feels that [lack of intensity]," Faldo told the Sky Sports Golf podcast in the build-up.
"I know that he made comments about watching Riviera [Genesis Invitational] and thought he wished he was there. I thought The Players was good and I bet he wished he was in there. He has been playing resort courses in shorts for the past couple of months and hasn't really been tested yet.
Cam Smith finished tied-sixth at Augusta (Getty Images)"He's a hell of a player, but he's going to have to make a little bit of effort to step it up and get the right intensity. Whether coming into defend you can do it, or whether he's just not quite sharp enough because he hasn't tested himself quite as much, we'll have to wait and see." When it comes to being able to defend Faldo was correct, with Rahm out of contention throughout the week.
The 2023 champion marked his Augusta return by finishing in a tie for 45th at nine-over. Rahm showed his frustrations in the aftermath, having discussed the difficulty to have to present new champion Scottie Scheffler with his green jacket at the tournament presentation following his own poor showing.
It's been nice to have some receptions walking up to some tees no matter what my score was and seeing the appreciation," he said on Sunday. "But when you don't have your best week, it's not that -- it's hard to have to stay now to put the jacket on somebody else and never really ever have a chance."
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