MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Ryan Palmer could feel Cam Smith’s footsteps approaching from behind the microphone. After an entire round playing together, he wanted to get in one last shot.
“That’s what I love about what we do out here, there’s always somewhere to go up and there’s always something to play for,” Palmer said, intentionally framing a question about the BMW Championship within the larger narrative that has consumed golf this season, a narrative in which Smith has become a central figure. “We’re not playing for just money.”
Welcome to what’s becoming the most bizarre FedEx Cup playoffs in PGA Tour history, and its annual stop in Memphis could also double as the start of the PGA Tour’s worst nightmare.
Smith is the latest golfer rumored to soon be defecting to the LIV Golf Series and he’s just two shots back of the lead heading into Sunday at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He would ascend to No. 1 in the world rankings should he win this tournament.
FedEx St. Jude Championship: PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ | Leaderboard
And walking the course with him offered insight into just how bad this could get for the PGA Tour. His gallery picked up steam just as he did on the back nine. By winning The Players Championship and The Open Championship, and by doing so with that distinctive mullet of his, he built a brand through the PGA Tour.
A brand that’s stronger right now than a lot of the golfers expected to remain loyal to the PGA Tour. A brand that LIV Golf has reportedly deemed to be worth $100 million. A brand that might be as painful to lose as any of the big names that already left.
Just imagine if Smith leaves the PGA Tour after winning one of its signature events (The Players), the last major of the year, and then the season-ending postseason the Tour has spent more than a decade trying to turn into a big deal. Imagine if he does it as the No. 1 golfer in the world.
“I had Jordan Spieth, (Matt) Fitzpatrick and (Max) Homa yesterday, and this guy has way more fans,” said FedEx St. Jude Championship volunteer standard bearer Nick Johnson. “He got more yells at him today than all three combined.”
Some are not what you’d ever expect on a golf course, at least until this year.
“$100 million man,” a patron screamed as Smith walked by on No. 14.
“Sellout!” shouted another.
“Don’t go to LIV!” someone pleaded as Smith ambled down the 17th fairway.
But there were far more cheers than jeers. This is…
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