[Photo: Jason Butler/Getty Images]
As speculation mounts about the future of LIV Golf, the embattled league forges on with this week’s stop at LIV Golf New York at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
RELATED: LIV Golf thrown stunning lifeline as $430 million rescue deal edges closer
In the lead-up to what is scheduled to be the third-last stop of LIV’s 2026 season, the all-Australian Ripper GC outfit spoke with the media about whether or not they would return to the PGA Tour should LIV fold.
Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman and fill-in Travis Smyth (Elvis Smylie is nursing a rib injury) offered compelling yet varied stances:
“I mean, if it was the only option, I think that’s where everyone would want to be for sure, 100 percent. It would go back to old times,” Smith said.
Leishman then waded in: “No, I haven’t [thought about returning to the PGA Tour]. No, I’m confident there will be something next year. The team is working really hard, and I would certainly like to be here next year for sure, whether it looks how it does now or something different. I would assume if it is around it’ll be something a little different, but I’m invested in this.”
LIV’s most recent winner, Herbert, then had this to say: “I haven’t personally had any discussions but I think my manager has. If LIV were to go away and you’ve got nowhere to play, I think ultimately you need somewhere to play as a professional golfer. So we’re just doing due diligence, having that conversation. As I said, I haven’t had it personally, and my preference would be to still be playing out here if that was still an option.
“Yeah, I think conversations have been had without me being privy to them. I don’t know the results of any of those either. Yeah, that’s my update.”
Lastly, Smyth: “For me, I’ve got status on about four tours, so Plan A is to play LIV Golf, and Plan B is to bounce around the world like I’ve been doing the past eight years.”
Each of the four are at different stages in their careers and, as Smyth notes, each have differing playing status elsewhere. Which probably explains why they offered four very different responses.
