Smith Loses Sawgrass Parking Spot

On top of his playing privileges Cameron Smith has now lost his parking spot at the PGA Tour's headquarters. When the Aussie landed The Players Championship in March, beating Anirban Lahiri by one at Sawgrass, he pocketed a then whopping $3.6m first prize.

Then he won The Open in July and now he's a member of the LIV Golf fraternity and those millions will seem like small change given what will have been his signing-on fee. Smith also picked up over $1m for his opening T4 in Boston last week.

As part of the Players victory Smith also landed a prime parking spot, right next to the clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, which should have been his until the next Players in March. But his spot has now had a change of look and Smith, who also lives locally, will have to find alternative arrangements should he feel the need to practise at the tour's HQ.

Golfweek's Adam Schupak reported the change of heart from the Tour, adding that a replica of his winning bag and any photos of the Australian have been taken out of the clubhouse. Smith finished off his PGA Tour season at the FedEx Playoffs and then jumped ship to LIV though he has since been nominated for the PGA Tour's Player of the Year award – it would be quite something if he were to land enough votes for this!

“If they go to LIV they don’t have any of their (PGA) Tour privileges at TPC properties,” TPC Sawgrass general manager Derek Sprague told Schupak.

Smith was hopeful of featuring in this month's Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow but that will no longer happen.

In a recent interview with Golf Digest Smith, who moved to the States in 2015, explained that some time at home was a big factor in his move to LIV. He will generally return Down Under for the Australian Open and PGA Championship, which he has won twice, but other visits have been few and far between.

“The biggest thing for me joining is [LIV’s] schedule is really appealing,” Smith said. “I’ll be able to spend more time at home in Australia and maybe have an event down there, as well. I haven’t been able to do that, and to get that part of my life back was really appealing.

“I’ve lived over here seven years now, and I love living in the US, but just little things like missing friends’ weddings, birthday parties and seeing your mates having a great time at rugby league games has been tough."