Cameron Smith has admitted that his opportunities to qualify for July’s Olympics in Paris are running out.
The LIV Golf player needs a high enough world ranking to represent Australia at the Olympics, with only the top two men from his country qualifying when the places are confirmed on 17 June.
LIV Golf can’t offer world ranking points, meaning Smith needs to rely on the three Majors between now and that date for a chance to move high enough in the world rankings to book his second Olympics appearance after representing Australia at the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Smith admitted to The Guardian’s Jack Snape that’s something he dearly wants to to achieve. He said: “It’s desperately a place that I want to get to and represent Australia.”
Smith was second in the world rankings when he joined LIV Golf in 2022, helped by his maiden Major title at that year’s Open, but limited opportunities to win world ranking points since then mean he is currently ranked 62nd, behind compatriots Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott and Cameron Davis.
Cameron Smith represented Australia at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The first opportunity to climb the rankings before the deadline is The Masters, which begins at Augusta National next week, followed by May’s PGA Championship and finishing with the US Open, which concludes at Pinehurst No.2 just one day before the cut-off.
With 100 world ranking points available to the winner of each, Smith, who qualifies for all four Majors thanks to his win at St Andrews two years ago, is targeting some strong performances in the three big events before the men’s team is selected.
However, he admitted the limited options mean there is more pressure to perform. “I have to play well to get there,” he said. “I know I have to play well, and I’m probably only going to get three or four shots at it before they make the selection. I guess it is more pressure.”
The 30-year-old, who plays at this week’s LIV Golf Miami, can certainly take some encouragement from his recent Major appearances. As well as his Open win in 2022, he also finished T3 at that year’s Masters. Last year, he had top-10 finishes at the PGA Championship and US Open, while his recent form has been good, too, including T2 in his most recent start at LIV Golf Hong Kong…
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