Cameron Smith, only player to miss all four major cuts in 2025, will return to Adelaide with LIV in February
More than 100,000 people attended The Grange this year after the tournament was moved from April and is so far the only confirmed schedule stop for the Saudi-backed tour.
It could be too long to wait for Smith to feel some good Aussie vibes, however, with his 2025 in freefall after missing the cut at The Open at Royal Portrush.
The 2022 Open champion became the only player to miss the cut in all four majors in 2025 after failing to reach the weekend and has now missed five major cuts in a row.
Once No.2 in the world, Smith's ranking has dropped to 206, with questions being asked about the impact of his move to LIV, for which he was paid a reported $140m.
His LIV teammate and great friend, Marc Leishman, jumped more than 50 places after being the only Australian to make the cut in Northern Ireland.
The appearances of the LIV stars at The Open came amid revelations officials had put in a second application for world ranking points in the hope their players could get more access to the majors.
It could also help players like Smith put himself in the frame for a Presidents Cup return as well as help American and European players get back on to Ryder Cup teams.
Smith conceded 2025 had been 'frustrating' without a LIV win, or a podium finish, but was adamant he had been putting in the work and his best was 'coming'.
'It's such a weird game sometimes,' he said.
'I feel like I've been playing really good and not really getting much out of my golf, which is quite the opposite to how I normally play golf, so it's been a really frustrating year. 'Everything feels good, particularly on the range, on the putting green and stuff like that. I just have struggled to take it to the course and I feel like it's coming out.
'I feel like I'm getting more confidence and committing to more shots and maybe hitting the shot that I don't necessarily feel comfortable with, but the right shot.
'So that's when I play my best and, yeah, it's coming.'
Smith tasted success in Adelaide in 2024, taking the team title, which helped elevate the event.
'Adelaide has been our pinnacle event with LIV Golf for the past few years, and it's always special going home and having our Aussie crowd behind us – they've been great to us, he said.
'The event keeps getting better every year and we are so excited to know we'll be coming back for many years to come. We can't wait for this year's event in Adelaide, which I'm sure next year will be even bigger.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
26 minutes ago
- ABC News
West Coast Eagles confirm Harley Reid's season over after western derby ankle injury
Harley Reid's second AFL season has ended four games early, with the West Coast Eagles confirming their rising star will miss the final month with an ankle injury. Reid was helped off the field late in Saturday's 49-point loss to Fremantle after he injured his ankle in a tackle. He had kicked two goals. Coach Andrew McQualter said after the game the 20-year-old would be sent for scans. They have revealed he suffered a syndesmosis injury, often referred to as a "high ankle sprain". "Harley Reid got his foot caught up in a tackle and has a low-grade syndesmosis injury," Eagles fitness boss Mat Inness said. "Despite being quite a low-grade injury, due to the time of season, we have ruled him out for the season." The news comes amid intense speculation in AFL circles about the long-term playing future of the highly regarded Reid, who was the AFL's number one draft pick in 2023, and whether he will return home to his native Victoria. The loss of Reid is not the only bad news for West Coast, who are languishing at the bottom of the AFL ladder with just one win for the year. Scans have also confirmed their top draft pick last year, Bo Allan, has played his last game for 2025 as well. Allan, who played in a WAFL premiership with Peel Thunder last year, has also suffered a syndesmosis injury. "Like Harley, Bo Allan got his foot caught up in a tackle at training on Thursday and suffered a low-grade syndesmosis injury," Inness said. "Once again, due to the time of the year, this will rule him out for the season." Allan, 19, managed six appearances in his first season. There was better news for key defender Harry Edwards, who was withdrawn from the Fremantle game after experiencing hamstring tightness during the warm-up. Inness said the club was hopeful Edwards would be available for this weekend's game against Melbourne.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘Don't mention my son's name again': Aaron Woods fires shots after being labelled a ‘coward'
Former NSW Blues forward Aaron Woods has fired back at his Origin critics, weeks after his comments on Billy Slater sparked one of the most iconic State of Origin feuds. The Triple M host was the latest guest on Paul Kent's podcast Kenty Primetime where he revealed he later spoke to Slater's former teammate Ryan Hoffman. Hoffman labelled Woods a 'coward' on the ABC for calling Queensland coach Slater a 'grub' before Game 2 of the series this year. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. 'Ryan Hoffman came out and called me a coward, and then he back flipped and said he didn't,' Wood's explained. 'We had a conversation. I said, 'look you can call me whatever you want, just don't ever mention my son's name again with things that didn't happen', because Buster didn't get a photo with Billy.' Hoffman's comments were centred on claims Woods had asked Slater to take a photo with his son Buster earlier in the season before he later slammed the Origin coach to create an Origin narrative. The claim originally came from former Origin forward and NRL360 host Gorden Tallis who took aim at Woods labelling Slater a grub ahead of Game 2. But Woods has now clarified the situation with the alleged photo, which occurred at Magic Round while commentating for Triple M. 'We're up at the top boxes of Suncorp Stadium, I was going to take my little fella downstairs, Buster, because he was going to be a ball boy for the 3 o'clock game on the Saturday arvo which was Newcastle v Souths,' Woods said. 'As I was going down the lift, we were right at the back, everyone jumped in, then we get down to I think level 3, that's where the Channel 9 and Fox boxes are. 'Billy Slater rocks in with his producer from Channel 9. We go downstairs, everyone gets out, Billy's there at the front, I literally walk out, I walk past, I shake his hand, 'hey Bill', I say to Buster to shake his hand. 'Once he shakes his hand we walk away, Buster goes 'who's that Dad?' 'I go 'mate, he's one of the best fullbacks to ever play the game'. My young bloke is only five. And that is all that happened. 'So from that, there's only three people that would've said something to Gordy about that. So someone's dropped the lip and had a little complaint, wasn't too happy.' The entire ordeal looked to become a major talking point among league fans as Queensland rallied after the saga to come back and win the next two games and take the series shield back from NSW. The story blew up particularly with Slater's response in which he suggested Woods was unaware of the mental health concerns his words could have on people, controversially referencing late Maroons coach Paul Green, who suffered from CTE. It left Woods admitting he felt partially responsible for the whole situation. 'A little bit. I was so confident because Game 1 I don't even think NSW played well,' he said. 'To win up at Suncorp, to be up there in enemy territory and the way they played, I would've thought we'd go to Perth quite excited. 'You go over there and then the performance in that first half, I was just like 'oh my God, far out, what have I done here?' Just really stirred the pot.'
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘I'm the f**king strongest': Hafthor Bjornsson's 505kg deadlift shatters world record
Champion strongman Hafthor Bjornsson has smashed the deadlift world record, lifting an absurd 505kg at the Eisenhart Black event. The man known as The Mountain from HBO's Game of Thrones, pulled off the incredible feat in competition, putting debate over the validity of his previous world record in 2020 officially to bed. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. Bjornsson broke long-time strongman rival Eddie Hall's world record of 500kg set at the 2016 World Deadlift Championships, going 501kg in 2020. But plenty had questioned if it was really the world record considering Bjornsson had set his record in a private gym outside of competition. However, the 206cm giant made no mistake this time, lifting 505kg at the Eisenhart Black event, sending the assembled crowd into hysterics. Immediately after breaking the record, Bjornsson screamed 'I am the f**king strongest' as fireworks erupted around him. For comparison, if half a ton is too esoteric, it's the equivalent of the weight of a Harley Davidson trike, or the middle-range of the average adult male polar bear. It's the second time Bjornsson has attempted to lift more than 500kg this year, having missed 501kg at the Arnold Strongman Classic, although he attempted it raw — which means with a weightlifting belt, wrist wraps and chalk only. However, he's not going to rest on his laurels, having already planned to beat his new record at the 2025 World Deadlift Championships in Birmingham, England on September 6. Powerlifter Ventsislav Dimitrov, who pulled 505kg at the same event in 2023 but in a sumo stance with lifting straps, tried 507.5kg in a sumo stance but failed to lock out the lift. Lifting straps are banned in powerlifting competitions, while the sumo stance is banned in strongman competitions, according to strength and fitness website Barbend. Despite long being bitter rivals and having faced off in a boxing match that Bjornsson won, Hall was quick to react to the Icelander's incredible feat. 'Massive respect to Thor for making history & setting the official WR at 505kg. That's one hell of a pull. Records are made to be broken,' he wrote on Instagram with a video of the feat. 'Big respect, big love.' Arnold Schwarzenegger responded: 'Congratulations, my friend.' Brooklyn Nine-Nine and America's Got Talent star Terry Crew posted: 'Congrats man!!!!! INCREDIBLE.' Last week, Bjornsson revealed he had hit 200kg on the scales but said: 'I haven't felt this strong since 2020. I'm ready for 505kg.' Bjornsson was the 2018 World's Strongest Man as well as runner up three-times and third-place getter another four times. Having taken a two-year hiatus from powerlifting to pursue boxing, Bjornsson lost over 60kg for his grudge match against Hall. After returning to strongman events, he suffered a brutal setback when he tore the pectoral muscle off the bone while trying for his bench press PB of 252kg in April 2023. The Icelandic strongman was sharing his journey to 505kg across his social media channels, revealing he eats 8000 calories a day to maintain his intimidating physique over three meals and three 'snacks'.
