A major champion now faces a big decision. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald from Versailles, France, where he made a surprise debut at the DP World Tour’s French Open, Cameron Smith was asked if he would stay with LIV Golf if its planned “LIV 2.0” relaunch happens in 2027.

His response captured exactly where things stand: “[We’re] in a bit of limbo… we don’t really know,” he said. “It’s hard to make a decision when you don’t have at least some of the answers to make the right decision, or any decision. We need a few more answers.”

Smith’s uncertainty over LIV isn’t the only issue hanging over him. It’s also his recent performance. “I know I haven’t played my best golf the last couple of years,” said Smith, now ranked 142nd in the world. “It eats at you a little bit, and you try to get out of the slump.”

Smith missed 3 out of 4 major cuts this year. His only positive result came at the 2026 PGA Championship, where he finished tied for seventh after rounds of 69, 71, 68, and 68. That result perhaps gives him some hope after a tough run in the majors.

Smith’s 2022 Open Championship win at St Andrews earned him a five-year exemption into the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the U.S. Open. That exemption runs out after 2027. This makes his LIV decision even more important because the tour he plays on next year could affect how he qualifies for the biggest tournaments following that. His Open Championship exemption lasts longer, but the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open are where the pressure is growing.

Smith’s “limbo” comment reflects the uncertainty around LIV Golf’s future. LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 8 after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund stopped its funding beyond 2026. The league is now working with BC Partners on a new plan that could give players an ownership stake. LIV hopes to return in early 2027, but its exact format, schedule, and financial plans are still being finalized and need court approval.

This leaves Smith with two options: stay with a restructured LIV or step away and play on the DP World Tour while serving his 12-month PGA Tour suspension. The French Open was only his second DP World Tour event since joining LIV. A win in France would have given him a two-year DP World Tour card, but that chance ended when he missed the cut after making two double bogeys in his final three holes.

A return to the PGA Tour is not simple either. Earlier this year, the tour offered Cameron Smith the Returning Member Program, along with Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau. Koepka accepted the offer, but Smith did not. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said in September that there are no current plans to bring the program back for LIV players. So, if Smith leaves LIV, he cannot assume he will have a quick path back to the PGA Tour.

One downside of Smith’s 2022 move to LIV has already been clear this week. Medinah hosts the Presidents Cup for the first time, and Cameron Smith played for the International team in 2019, when they held the event at Royal Melbourne. However, LIV golfers are still not eligible to play in the PGA Tour-run event.

“I’ve definitely accepted it,” Smith said, calling it one of the trade-offs he knew about when he joined LIV. He also said he had sent his friend and International team veteran Adam Scott a message wishing him well for the week.

For now, Smith concentrates on regaining his top golf form on the biggest stages. His next goals are the Australian PGA at The Lakes and the Australian Open at Kingston Heath in December. Cameron Smith is still chasing his first Australian Open title after finishing runner-up twice.