Open champion Cameron Smith has hit back at fellow Australian golfer Cameron Percy after he claimed the 28-year-old had signed up to the controversial LIV Golf Series.
When asked about the Saudi-backed series and the prospect of Smith and Marc Leishman joining it, Percy told RSN radio : "Unfortunately, yeah, they're gone. The more and more you look into it, some people don't care – some people have got a conscience and do care."
Percy also criticised the Saudi state, adding: "They're not the nicest people in the world. Do you just look past that and go, 'oh well, I'm rich. I don't really care'. It's a tough one, it really is."
Smith was asked about the comments ahead of the FedEx Cup play-offs beginning on Thursday at the St. Jude Invitational and hit back at Percy, saying: "I'm a man of my word and whenever you guys need to know anything, it'll be said by me.
"If there's something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour or LIV, it will come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy." Percy has since backtracked on his comments, tweeting : "I was on the radio yesterday in Australia and l said it doesn't look good for Leish and Cam going to LIV.
"My source is talking amongst other players. Not Cam and Leish. Now let me get back to my garden, it's a mess."
LIV chief Greg Norman, meanwhile, has revealed there "will be more player announcements" soon, but that they will be the final additions for now. "We've closed up shop, as far as our players are concerned," Norman told Australian Golf Digest .
"We're in the process of kicking the league off next year and we're a full year ahead of schedule. There will be more player announcements before then, but we're set on the maximum amount of players.
"It's interesting, we're still getting calls from agents of top-40 players in the world wanting to join LIV but it's too late now. I mean, we'd love to have them all but we can't get them in."
