{"id":1553054,"date":"2023-03-08T10:04:51","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T15:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1553054"},"modified":"2023-03-08T10:04:52","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T15:04:52","slug":"reigning-champion-cameron-smith-banned-players-championship-might-show-up-uninvited-anyway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/reigning-champion-cameron-smith-banned-players-championship-might-show-up-uninvited-anyway\/","title":{"rendered":"Reigning Champion Cameron Smith Is Banned From the Players Championship, but He Might Show Up Uninvited Anyway"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you've flipped on Golf Channel or NBC at any point this week, you've probably noticed something peculiar about the promos leading up to the 2023 Players Championship<\/a>. The PGA<\/a> Tour has been advertising Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy for their victories in 2021 and 2019, but reigning champion Cameron Smith<\/a> is nowhere to be found. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That's not surprising, obviously, as Smith has since defected to LIV Golf<\/a> and is ineligible to play in the 2023 Players Championship and defend his title. Even though he isn't invited, the Australian is considering showing up to TPC Sawgrass and crashing the party anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cameron Smith can't defend his Players Championship title because of LIV Golf<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cameron
Cameron Smith poses with the trophy after winning the 2022 Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass | Keyur Khamar\/PGA TOUR via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Scottie Scheffler may have won the PGA Tour Player of the Year last season, but no one else played better golf than Cameron Smith. In 18 starts, the Aussie won three tournaments and finished inside the top 10 seven times. His three wins came at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Players Championship, and the Open Championship \u2014 three of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour calendar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After his Open Championship triumph in July, Smith rose to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking. The 29-year-old was set up to become the next star in professional golf and one of the new poster children for the PGA Tour, but he wasn't interested in that life. Instead, Smith accepted a reported $100 million deal (per The Telegraph<\/a>) to join LIV Golf just days after the season-ending Tour Championship concluded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith knew the repercussions associated with his decision. Months before the former World No. 2 signed his mega-deal, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced that all LIV Golf defectors would be suspended from the Tour with no chance of future reinstatement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith chose to join the Saudi-backed golf league anyway, meaning he won't be teeing it up at the 2023 Players Championship to defend his title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cameron Smith might show up to TPC Sawgrass uninvited<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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2022 Players championship winner Cam Smith *might* show up in the crowd this week\u2026 \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/GMSOsxDs0B<\/a><\/p>— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 6, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>