Cameron Smith has urged golf's majors to 'stand above all the politics' and allow LIV Golf rebels to play.
Uncertainty still reigns over the future involvement of players who defected to Greg Norman's Saudi-backed series in the four major championships. The governing bodies of The Masters, The PGA Championship, US Open and The Open are yet to clarify their stance on the eligibility of LIV stars in their events next season.
But while the contentious LIV series continues to be blocked from ranking status by the Official World Golf Rankings board, its players will struggle to qualify for the majors. The awarding of ranking points remains a key battleground in golf's fierce ongoing civil war as LIV chiefs aim to further validate their venture and rival the PGA and DP World tours.
Without access to ranking points in their invitational events, LIV players are tumbling down the rankings, making it increasingly difficult to qualify for majors.
Open champion Smith looks set to able to defend his crown at Royal Liverpool in 2023, and has a five-year exemption in all majors after his superb triumph at St Andrews in July. But the current world no.3 insists that majors should welcome his other fellow elite LIV players in order to provide the 'best product' for the sport.
“I think the majors really have to stand above all the politics,” Smith told The Age. "If they really want the best product and the best players playing against each other in the world, they have to let us play.
"There’s no reason other than playing another tour that should suggest we shouldn’t play. We’re definitely good enough players. We should have those spots.”
Smith was speaking before his first competition in his native Australia since before the pandemic as he looks to end a whirlwind year of success in style. He will compete alongside fellow Aussie Mark Leishman in the upcoming Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open - which are both co-sanctioned by the DP World Tours.
LIV Golf stars can still compete in DP World Tour events until a final UK court ruling is made in February. And LIV's Australian stars are being welcomed back with open arms to events in their homeland.
"Our Australian players who are playing LIV golf, we respect their decision," PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman said. "Both the tours have made their decisions on sanctions or penalties, but our current regulations and policies for our members are about playing in a conflicting event.
“Our position is they were always going to be welcomed home. If they’re a full member of the PGA Tour of Australasia, and they enter in an event, our current regulations deem that we can’t stop them from playing."
