Former Australian golfer Greg Norman is being accused of stealing Cameron Smith’s once in a lifetime opportunity to forge one of golf’s great careers after luring the British Open champion to his Saudi-backed rebel league. This deal led to the player leaving the European arena to join hands in the middle east with LIV Golf. 

One of Britain’s most polarising analysts, Brandel Chamblee, did not mince his words on this saga and said that it is a shocker to see Smith unable to defend his title at this week’s Player’s Championship in Florida shortly after being suspended from the PGA Tour. He also compared Smith’s short-game wizardry to that of legends Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson, and says the Australian looked on a path towards multiple major championship victories after reigning at St Andrews last July. 

Smith lives at Jacksonville Beach, not very far from Players Stadium, and is fishing buddies with course superintendent Jeff Plotts, yet is persona non grata at TPC Sawgrass after, Chamblee says, being misguided by his idol Norman. 

“It’s ironic to me that it might possibly be an Aussie that will keep another Aussie in Cameron Smith possibly from ascending to a spot where he’s considered the greatest player of all time [from Australia],” Chamblee told the Golf Channel. 

“Supplanting Peter Thomson, he had that kind of talent. Norman didn’t get there but [Smith] could have easily supplanted Greg Norman as the second-best player of all time from Australia.”

The whole narrative of sportswashing has kept Saudi sports investors, or the other gulf countries who want to invest in major leagues across the world, has caused quite a negative talking point. However, they boast of significant money that not many can say no to, which is the reason they have been successfully attracting some of the world’s best golfers for this tournament. 

Smith, still world No 5 despite not attaining rankings points while taking part in LIV Golf, remains eligible to contest the four annual majors for at least five years. But Chamblee fears the Queenslander – and other LIV stars like former Masters champion Dustin Johnson – will lack a competitive edge at Augusta National next month for the season’s first major. Explore more about best golfers and golf betting in Nextbet.