Ernie Els warns Cameron Smith of making 'dangerous' LIV Golf move

Two-time Open winner Ernie Els reckons that new Champion Golfer of the Year Cameron Smith would be making a big mistake by joining LIV Golf in the wake of his St Andrews success.

ameron Smith speaks to the media at a press conference after winning the 150th Open at St Andrews. Picture: Ian Rutherford.

Minutes after he’d got his hands on the Claret Jug for winning the 150th Open on Sunday, Australian Smith was being widely tipped to sign up for Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed breakaway circuit.

Els offered his response to that possible development at Gleneagles, where he is one of the star names teeing up in this week’s Senior Open presented by Rolex.

“Cam is in a great position right now,” said the South African. “He’s entering his prime. He’s 28 and he’s got time now to win majors and I wouldn’t want to put that under any danger of not happening.

Ernie Els speaks to the media ahead of The Senior Open Presented by Rolex at Gleneagles. Picture: Phil Inglis/Getty Images.

“I would not at this stage go on any other tour where I might not play in a major again or be in a position where I have to be in a position to defend myself to play in a major.

“I would play my golf and put myself in the history books as far as I can go. There’s guys who have won one major, two, three, four then you start separating yourself by winning five, six, seven majors. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t go that far and why put that in jeopardy.

“I would stay exactly where I am. Do what I do. The money is there - it’s already there. The way he’s playing LIV will be there and his value might go up. So I’d stay exactly where I am in my lane and try and win more majors.”

Each worth $25 million, two LIV Golf Invitational Series events have already been held, with the third one being played at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey next week.

The PGA Tour instantly banned players who teed up in the first two tournaments while the DP World Tour tried to stop players from teeing up in the Genesis Scottish Open only for an appeal process to open the door for Ian Poulter and three others to tee up at The Renaissance Club.

“It’s crazy at the moment,” said Els, one of the best-known figures in the game around the globe, of a civil war breaking out. “It’s just a shame how things are being split up.

“My view - and I discussed this with the Saudi people - was always to do things with the major tours. Everybody partner up in this team and individual format. And play it in the ‘dead season. The PGA Tour has a tough time going up against the NFL and college football. That’s a huge TV expense.

“So the Saudi stuff could be played after the FedEx Cup and through to December. That’s a good three months. Everyone gets together. Bang. Do this thing.

“That could be very exciting. And it wouldn’t interfere with any of the main tours, not interfering with ‘real’ golf as we know it. Obviously I didn’t get through to anybody at the highest level, though.”

As things stand, it will be difficult for LIV Golf events to carry Official World Golf Ranking points due to the fact they are played over 54 with no cut and have a shotgun start.

“I can’t see it working as a 54-hole entity,” said Els. “Just because you are playing for $20 million a week doesn’t change anything. It’s still 54 holes. There’s no basis to it, there’s no substance to it.

“In my view, that’s not golf the way it is supposed to be. A 48-man field is wonderful for special events over three months. Big money. There could be huge betting going on. And it could be a Formula One series of golf.

“But three months of that is enough. Then it is time to come back and play real golf. That’s still my view. But it’s gone too far now. And who knows where it is going to end. I don’t know.”

South Africans have won the opening two LIV Golf events, with Charl Schwatzel hitting the $4 million jackpot at Centurion Club then Branden Grace doing likewise at Pumpkin Ridge. Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open champion, has also joined the circuit.

“No,” replied Els to being asked if he was surprised to see so many of his compatriots making the move. They never spoke to me. I think they would have known what I would have said!”

“It’s unfortunate that golf has got to this point. I do get international golf. I was one of the guys, being a South African player, South African Tour member and member of the PGA Tour, 15 events was the minimum I could play on the PGA Tour

“If I wanted to play more overseas, I had to play more in the US. I felt it was unfair and we had that talk with Tim Finchem 20-25 years ago when we came to a solution.

“I could play a schedule I was comfortable with in the US across the globe, which I did. I played 30-32 events for the bulk of my prime and I got to play around the world.

“There were concessions made by the US tour. There’s a way of playing worldwide golf and myself, Greg Norman and Fred Couples all did. You can work with the system.

“If anybody understands getting a little screwed by the PGA Tour, it’s me. But I just dont’t feel the way they are going is the right way in the long run.”