“I don’t know what (DeChambeau and Rahm) are going to do. I think we have it pretty good here and I’ve made my decision and I can only assume that their calls will be very similar,” Smith said.
“I think from 2026 we will still have the best field that LIV has ever had.”
Smith said he was unable to announce a fourth member of the Ripper Team, but speculation is rife that Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie will replace London’s Matt Jones. The Times reports that Australia’s rising golf star has signed a contract.
Smith, who was runner-up at last year’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne, said LIV Golf had made significant inroads as it entered its fourth year and just needed more time to replicate the popularity of the Adelaide tournament in other parts of the world. In 2026, it will move from a 54-hole to a 72-hole tournament.
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“It’s only been four years. I think everybody forgets that. It’s come a long way in four years. I feel like we’ve got a lot of momentum as a league. I think it just takes time,” Smith said.
LIV Golf Adelaide has attracted more than 260,000 fans to The Grange since its inception in 2023, with more golf-like attendances expected this year thanks to the expanded format.
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