“I desperately want to get it” – LIV Golf’s Cam Smith has his eyes set on the Paris Olympics qualification

LIV golfer Cam Smith has expressed his desire to earn a spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Scheduled for later this year, the 2024 Olympics allow only two players from each country placed highest in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) to participate.

However, if a country has four players within the top 15 in the OWGR, then all four players from that country will compete in the tournament. Smith plays on the LIV Golf tour, where players do not receive ranking points, causing challenges in their world ranking.

In an interview with the media, Smith recently expressed his desire to compete at the Paris Olympics. The Aussie admitted that he "desperately" wants a place on the team to represent his country in the international tournament.

Speaking about the Olympics, Cam Smith said (via The Print):

“It’s desperately a place that I want to get to and represent Australia. I have to play well to get there, 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.”

Currently, four Australian players rank higher than Smith in the OWGR. If the former Open Championship winner wants to secure a spot in the Olympics, he must perform well at the Majors and earn ranking points. The first Major of the year is scheduled to begin on April 11.

He also discussed the Masters and Augusta National Golf Course, saying:

“It’s just such a cool place … I desperately want to get it and it would be awesome if I did. We’ve just had three weeks off and I’ve been out on the course focusing on shot-shaping and controlling flight, which I think is pretty crucial for playing good around there.”

It is important to note that Cam Smith held third in the world rankings before joining LIV Golf. However, over the course of two years, his ranking has drastically declined, and he currently sits at 62nd in the world.

Australian golfers Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, and Cameron Davis are ahead of Smith in the OWGR. However, it has been reported that Scott has withdrawn from the Olympics, which increases Smith's chances of qualifying if he performs well in the Majors.

LIV golfers do not get ranking points to compete in the Saudi circuit events. However, they can earn points by competing in Asian Tour events or Majors, if eligible and can increase their world rankings.

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LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton withdraw from Paris Olympics 2024

While it has been a dream for athletes to represent their countries at the Olympics, reports indicate that LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton have requested not to participate in the Games.

According to a report by ElPeriodiGolf, Koepka and Hatton withdrew their names from the race for the Paris Olympics. However, the reasons for their withdrawal have not been disclosed yet.

Additionally, as per the aforementioned outlet's report, former World No. 1 Adam Scott, Marcel Siem, Louis Oosthuizen, and Thomas Detry, have also requested not to participate in the Olympics.

Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler has secured his spot in the Olympics.

According to OWGR guru Nosferatu's post on X (formerly Twitter), Scheffler will maintain his ranking by the time the final selection for the Olympics is announced in June 2024. This guarantees his spot in the American team.