When the R&A unveiled the lineup of featured groups for the 151st Open Championship, there was one notable absence that caught the attention of golf enthusiasts worldwide – defending champion, Cam Smith.
Rewind to last year, when Cameron Smith etched his name in golfing history by claiming the coveted Claret Jug in a stunning fashion. As he prepares to defend his title, Smith surprisingly finds himself excluded from the circle of featured groups at the 151st Open Championship.
Questions arise: Why has the R&A seemingly overlooked their current Champion Golfer of the Year? Could his affiliation with LIV Golf, the newly-formed tour, be a factor in his exclusion from a featured group?
Digging further, it becomes apparent that the Open’s website and promotional efforts have also placed minimal emphasis on Smith’s participation. While the event briefly acknowledged him via a tweet, the defending champion has received comparably less attention than other past winners like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.
This raises the question: What has led to Smith’s diminished visibility? The R&A was, after all, one of the pioneering golf governing bodies to permit LIV Golf players into major championships. Considering this, it would seem reasonable to prioritize the defending champion and showcase his talent.
Yet, as The Open arrives, Smith finds himself amidst the silence. Curiously, the R&A has also excluded Brooks Koepka, the reigning PGA Championship winner and a member of the LIV Golf Tour, from a featured group.
Is the R&A taking such a strong stance against LIV Golf that they cannot include two of the world’s top golfers in their featured coverage? Instead, Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Jason Day take center stage in one group, while the second morning group features Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, and Adam Scott.
While the inclusion of Scheffler – the world number one – and Fleetwood, a local favorite from Liverpool, is understandable, the absence of the defending champion in the Spieth, Fitzpatrick, and Day group appears puzzling.
In the afternoon wave of coverage, Tony Finau, Viktor Hovland, and Justin Thomas are featured, followed by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Justin Rose. McIlroy, Hovland, Rahm, and Rose are logical choices, but Finau and Thomas seem a mismatch. Highlighting Smith and Koepka would have been a superior option. Furthermore, Thomas’ underwhelming season performance adds to the intrigue of featuring him in a major championship.
One can only hope that the R&A will rectify this meant omission and feature Cam Smith at least on Friday before the cut is made. After all, the defending champion deserves recognition and the opportunity to defend his title in the spotlight at The Open Championship.
The post “Cam Smith’s Absence from The Open Championship’s Featured Groups” first appeared on the European News Global.
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