LIV Golf star calls on Olympic Games to change rules due to Cameron Smith
LIV Golf star Marc Lieshman has called on a change in the qualifying system for the Olympic Games, with former Open champion Cam Smith in danger of missing out.
Lieshman and Smith both represented Australia at the last Olympics in Tokyo back in 2021. Three years on though there could well be a changing of the guard for the Aussies, with LIV Golf still yet to acquire recognition from the Official World Golf Rankings.
As things stand, each country's top two-ranked players earn a place in the event that will take place at Le Golf National - the home of the 2018 Ryder Cup - in Paris next summer.
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Despite announcing himself as his country's top golfer in recent years, Smith's move to LIV last August has put his chances of representing his nation in jeopardy due to their events continuing to go ahead without world ranking points. Like many of his fellow rebel players, Smith has fallen down the ranking list during his time with the breakaway league.
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The Australian joined the LIV setup ranked the second best player on the planet, but has since drifted to 20th having competed in just seven OWGR-sanctioned events, including the four majors in 2023. With a further fall expected, LIV teammate Leishman has called on the goalposts to be moved to allow Smith to return to the Olympic stage.
"It's very hard for me [Leishman], I don't think I'll be in it [the Olympics], but hopefully they can do something so Cam [Smith] can play," Leishman per Nine.com. "Hopefully it doesn't come off that world rankings, because I think Cam is the pretty clear-cut best Australian golfer at the moment and deserves to be playing in the Olympics."
Marc Leishman backed Cam Smith to make next summer's Olympics (2022 Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)Smith and Leishman returned to DP World Tour action last week after returning home to compete in the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane. Their return to the Tour gave the Aussie pair the chance to earn some much-needed ranking points, but to the surprise of many, tournament favourite Smith failed to capitalise.
The defending champion missed the cut at Royal Queensland by a mammoth seven shots, after carding nine-over-par for the week across the opening 36 holes. Unimpressed, an emotional Smith commented: "Australia has been so good to me, there's no reason to perform like that. Unacceptable.
"Yeah, no words. S***. I've performed under pressure before and it's not acceptable, a bit upsetting actually. I know what I'm doing, it's just going out there and committing to something is another thing." Leishman meanwhile enjoyed a much better week, finishing third following Sunday's final round.
The Australian finished four shots behind eventual champion Min Woo Lee, who proved the star of the show in Brisbane, shooting 20-under across his four rounds. Lee could well be the man to replace Smith and Leishman on the Australian Olympic setup.
The 25-year-old moved to 38th in the world on the back of his victory - his highest ranking to date. And it would come as no surprise to see Lee's spot improve in the coming month's having prevailed as one of the DP World Tour and PGA Tour's hottest prospects over the past year.
Smith is currently the highest-ranking Australian golfer on the planet in 20th, but has Jason Day just behind in 21st. Elsewhere Lee of course sits 38th, whilst Cam Davies and Adam Scott find themselves in the top 50, placed 43rd and 47th respectively.
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