At this point, the golf world is waiting for the official announcement that 2022 British Open champion Cameron Smith is leaving the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf. While that badly kept secret is still out there, there’s some news about Smith’s involvement in the upcoming BMW Championship that golf fans are taking notice of.
Smith, who comes into this week at No. 3 in the FedExCup standings, has withdrawn from the BMW Championship set to take place this week in Wilmington, Deleware.
Cameron Smith, who enters the week No. 3 in the FedExCup standings, is a WD from the BMW Championship.
Statement: pic.twitter.com/KMxmN8AmDc
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) August 15, 2022
“Unfortunately, Cam will be unable to compete in the BMW Championship this week in Wilmington, DE,” read a statement from Bud Martin, who represents Smith. “He has been dealing with some on and off hip discomfort for several months and thought it best to rest this week in his pursuit of the FedEx Cup.”
While that might indeed be true, the timing of Smith’s withdrawal certainly caught the attention of the golf world. Smith has been rumored to be heading to LIV Golf since early August but has rankled many by refusing to discuss the possibility. Some of his PGA Tour compatriots appear to be displeased with him. The whole drama may have come to a head this past weekend when he was assessed with a two-stroke penalty before his final round for playing the ball from the wrong place when he was in the penalty area, with many wondering if it was some kind of payback from the Tour.
Cameron Smith has been penalized two strokes for improper placement of the ball in the penalty area in Round 3.
He now begins the final round trailing by four.
More on the penalty ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/a1wr2Bqv9R
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 14, 2022
The Telegraph of London has reported that Smith will join LIV Golf with a guaranteed contract of over $100 million. So if this is the beginning of the end between him and the PGA Tour, few people are going to be surprised.
Playing four in a row was a big ask 😎 https://t.co/G9dgwXePk8
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) August 15, 2022
The cool thing is that Twitter will simply wish him well in his recovery and won't try to connect any dots whatsoever. https://t.co/B34KGyPkcJ
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGolf) August 15, 2022
"hip discomfort" https://t.co/n8igvWaKdO pic.twitter.com/3NAbFoX3YW
— Emerson Lotzia, Jr. (@EmersonLotzia) August 15, 2022
“On and off hip discomfort” 🧐 https://t.co/s6euYYzosG
— Geoff Shackelford (@GeoffShac) August 15, 2022
Now Cam Smith is out of this week's BMW because of "hip discomfort." The drama continues. https://t.co/6Q9fV1t9gr
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) August 15, 2022
