Cameron Smith’s career has reached a crossroads, with the Queenslander making the cruellest cut of his life in an attempt to reignite form.
Arriving at this week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in near Philadelphia, Smith has missed six cuts in major championships and realised a drastic change was needed. To save his career, he has moved decisively, parting ways with the coach who helped build it.
The 32-year-old, who was the world’s second-ranked golfer four years ago, decided after a difficult Masters campaign to split from long-time coach Grant Field, the mentor who first shaped his game from the age of 9.
As reported by todaysgolfer.com, Smith is now working with highly regarded coach Claude Harmon III, son of swing guru Butch Harmon, as he seeks to fix his wayward driving and reclaim his status as a contender.
“It was a terrible conversation to have,” Smith said. “I’ve been seeing Grant since I was 9 years old, and he’s a good friend, so it was tough, but I feel like I have done the right thing for my golf. I think what I’ve done is right.”
Alarm bells have been ringing about Smith’s slump for some time.
The 2022 Open champion wasn’t the only player to fail to reach the weekend of a major last year, but uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf’s future has thrust his struggles back into the spotlight.
Recent reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will withdraw funding from LIV Golf at the end of the season have fuelled speculation about the breakaway circuit’s long-term future.
That uncertainty has also prompted speculation about Smith’s long-term plans, including rumours of retirement, which the Australian has firmly dismissed.
“I’m 32, so I’ve got a while yet,” he said at a conference with Australian media last week. “I haven’t been asked that question before, that’s good.”
Smith remains focused on a career revival, insisting the “fire is in the belly” and that he is determined to return to contend. He pointed to his runner-up finish at the Australian Open last December as a confidence boost, despite a heartbreaking finish after a final-hole three-putt.
However, his form in 2025 has been inconsistent, with strong LIV Golf finishes in Adelaide and Singapore offset by a disappointing Masters at Augusta National.
“I’d like to think early in my career I hung my hat on my major performances, but it just hasn’t been good enough,” Smith said after his latest setback.
