Seeing one of golf’s top talents fail to find his form is tough, and Cam Smith’s recent slump has raised plenty of concerns.
Since joining LIV Golf, Smith hasn’t looked like the same player who famously lifted The Open trophy at St Andrews in 2022. Back then, he was considered one of the best putters in the game and seemed destined for more major success.
Fast-forward to 2025, and Smith has now missed the cut in all four majors this season—a shocking run for a player of his caliber. While many critics blame his move to LIV, Smith believes his issues are mental rather than technical.
“Yes, it sucks to play bad in tournaments that probably mean a little bit more than others,” Smith told Australian Golf Digest. “I think it’s probably more of a mental issue than actual technique. My swing feels the best it’s ever felt, but I haven’t been able to produce the results.”
Smith admits he’s been highly motivated to perform but believes that pressure might actually be hurting his game. “I feel like I’ve done everything right and not really got much out of it,” he added.
His struggles are especially surprising given that his technique is in good shape. Mental hurdles, however, can often be the toughest to overcome in professional sports.
Post-Open Major Record
Since his Open Championship win in 2022, Smith’s results in majors have been inconsistent. There were encouraging signs in 2023, with top-ten finishes at the PGA and U.S. Open, and a T6 at the 2024 Masters. But he also missed The Open cut in 2024, finished T33 while defending his Claret Jug, and produced underwhelming results like T63 at the 2024 PGA and T32 at the U.S. Open.
Golf is better when Smith is competing at his best, and fans will hope he can rediscover that major-winning form soon.
