Cameron Smith leads group of LIV players all seeking same deal as Sergio Garcia

Cameron Smith has reportedly followed Sergio Garcia in seeking a way out of his LIV Golf contract, with the Australian looking to secure greater freedom over his playing future amid growing uncertainty surrounding the breakaway league.

According to Golf Digest, Smith is among a group of LIV Golf players seeking confirmation that their contracts can be terminated, following Garcia's successful move to become a free agent.

The development represents another potential blow for LIV Golf as it attempts to rebuild its financial model having lost the funding of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). 

However, Smith's reported request does not necessarily mean he has decided to leave. Instead, it could give the 150th Open champion greater flexibility to explore his options before committing to a playing schedule for 2027.

Smith, who etched his name on the famous Claret Jug at St Andrews in 2022, has been one of LIV's most prominent players since joining the circuit in 2022.

The 33-year-old Australian, who captains Ripper GC, qualified for the PGA Tour's Returning Player program earlier this season but ultimately opted to remain.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald in late September, Smith acknowledged the difficulty of making a decision about the league's next chapter.

"We don’t have all the answers. It’s hard to make a decision," he said.

Those comments came before Golf Digest reported that Smith was among the players seeking a termination agreement similar to Garcia's.

While Smith has not confirmed he intends to leave LIV Golf, he wants to secure greater contractual freedom ahead of making a decision on his playing future. 

The fate of the requests is expected to be addressed at LIV Golf's next hearing on October 15.

With the futures of many LIV players still unclear at this stage, it is anticipated that Bryson DeChambeau may stick rather than twist on LIV 2.0.

However, nothing has yet been confirmed, and the two-time U.S. Open champion is still keeping his options open before making a decision. 

DeChambeau has not spoken publicly about his plans since the conclusion of the 2026 LIV Golf season, when his original contract with the league expired.

A new deal had been under negotiation with the PIF, but those discussions were thrown into uncertainty when the organisation withdrew its funding of LIV Golf.

Legally speaking, DeChambeau is now a free agent, leaving his next move uncertain as the league looks to progress with fresh $300m investment on the cards from BC Partners. 

Despite the expectation that DeChambeau will remain with LIV 2.0, or The LIV as it's now being labelled, the 33-year-old American is still yet to make a call. 

His decision will likely prove pivotal as the league looks to retain as many of its players as possible.

But that process is not going well. 

Rahm is already out, so too are Adrian Meronk and David Puig, and Garcia is already eyeing the door. 

There is also expectation that both Tyrrell Hatton and Joaquin Niemann will soon tap out. 

Smith is not the only player currently seeking similar contractual arrangements to Garcia. 

Harold Varner III, Matthew Wolff, Cameron Tringale, Byeong-hun An and Marc Leishman are also looking to follow suit. 

LIV Golf's deadline for players to commit to its proposed new structure has been extended to 25 October.

For Smith, the immediate priority appears to be keeping his options open rather than committing to a new destination.

There is no confirmation that he will leave LIV Golf and return to the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. 

But with the league's financial future still taking shape, the Ripper GC captain's next move could become increasingly significant.

LIV cannot afford to lose another senior figure and major champion to their ranks. 

The coming weeks should provide greater clarity over Smith's intentions and whether LIV can retain the star power needed to make its next chapter a success.