LIV announces addition of several more big-name golfers
January 14, 2022; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Cameron Smith acknowledges the crowd after making his putt on the 10th hole during the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf tournament at Waialae Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Cameron Smith has officially signed his long-rumored deal with LIV Golf, and he is not the only big name who is leaving the PGA Tour now that the season has come to an end.
Smith and five other former PGA Tour golfers — Marc Leishman, Joaquin Neimann, Harold Varner III, Cameron Tringale and Anirban Lahiri — have signed with LIV. All six are expected to be part of the field for this weekend’s LIV tournament in Boston.
Smith and Leishman are the biggest names of that group. They have a combined 12 wins on the PGA Tour. Leishman, 38, is a bit past his prime, but the 29-year-old Smith is one of golf’s most popular superstars. That is why LIV reportedly offered him a deal worth somewhere around $100 million.
The PGA Tour recently announced sweeping changes that will give golfers an opportunity to earn more money next season. Those changes were not enough to stop Smith and others from deferring to LIV, which means they are no longer eligible to play in PGA Tour events. They likely will not be the last to leave, either.
