The Open runner-up Cameron Young could reportedly be the next name looking set to enjoy the riches of the controversial LIV golf series. One of the PGA Tour’s breakout stars this season, he looks set to follow his namesake Cameron Smith and join the controversial lucrative series.
The 25-year-old secured an additional $522,000 (about £426,000) after his sensational play at St. Andrews saw him leapfrog Rory McIlroy into second place. However, that sum of money pales into insignificance in comparison to the signing-on fees that the Saudi-backed breakaway can offer with The Times reporting that Young could also be joining the rebel circuit after the conclusion of the FedEx Cup play-offs next month.
This comes after Smith failed to deny that he was signing for the LIV Golf when asked directly at a press conference, adding to the mounting speculation he has. “My goal is to win the FedExCup play-offs, that's what I'm here for," he said. "If there's something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour or LIV it will come from Cameron Smith not Cameron Percy.
“I'm a man of my word and whenever you guys (the press) need to know anything it will be said by me." When Smith was the asked directly about reports that he has already signed for the LIV Golf series, he replied: "I have no comment to that. I'm here to play the FedExCup Playoffs, that has been my focus the last week and a half."
His deal to join LIV is reportedly worth more than $100 million (about £82 million). He is arguably the first golf star to defect while at the top of his game, and he couldn’t resist a switch despite earning $25 million on the PGA Tour.
LIV suffered a setback today as US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman ruled in favour of the PGA Tour who wanted Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford barred from playing in the PGA Tour's season-ending event, the FedExCup playoffs. An important issue in the case proved to be that the judge did not consider the fact that the trio faced irreparable harm because of the big sums of money they were guaranteed by joining LIV.
"There simply is no irreparable harm in this case," PGA Tour attorney Elliot Peters said. A press release from LIV Golf immediately followed the decision. It simply read: “We’re disappointed that Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones won’t be allowed to play golf. No one gains by banning golfers from playing.”
Robert Walters, an antitrust litigator representing the golfers said that the harm done is that players lose intangible benefits such as qualifications for the major tournaments as well as other marquee invitationals.
"This is an extraordinarily attractive financial opportunity but it's much more than that," he explained. "This is the holy grail because everybody wants to compete in and prevail in major championships, but it's not just the majors."
