A thrilling week at St Andrews has just finished and the golfing world’s attention again turns to LIV Golf.
The rebel tour has sparked civil war in the sport, with players signing up and facing PGA sanctions after accepting the huge sums of cash to switch.
Henrik Stenson is set to join LIV Golf
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Bookies Paddy Power go 1/100 that Open champ Cam Smith makes the switch to LIV Golf this year.
Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson is poised to be the next player to join the new circuit.
As a result, the Swede is set to be stripped of the captaincy in doing so.
Luke Donald is the 1/4 favourite to lead the Europeans in Rome next year.
Aussie pair Smith and Adam Scott look set to follow Stenson and join the new format before the end of the year.
Last week, Smith batted away questions from reporters on his much-speculated switch.
Odds to move to LIV Golf by 2023
Biting back at a reporter’s question on the matter, Smith said: “I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that? I think that’s pretty…not that good.
“I don’t know, mate. My team around me deals with all that stuff, I’m just here to win golf tournaments.”
It was a clear case of non-denial that sees Smith as short as 1/100 with Paddy Power to defect to LIV Golf this year.
Compatriot Scott had a strong showing in Scotland last week and is next in the market at 1/33.
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood could follow Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood in making the switch and is as short as 1/5 to do so this year, but reports have now suggested he will not make the move.
Xander Schauffele was the man in-form heading into the Open last week and is 2/1 alongside Danny Willett.
Viktor Hovland was in the final pairing on Sunday before failing to trouble the top of the leaderboard and is 4/1, with Justin Rose at 5/1.
England’s first major winner since 2016, Matt Fitzpatrick and Collin Morikawa are the only others at single figure odds, both at 7/1.
Among the bigger odds, world number one Scottish Scheffler is 25/1 with Jordan Spieth and Shane Lowry at 33/1.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods have publicly gone against the players making the switch and are unsurprisingly as big as 100/1 to make the move.
A spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “LIV Golf is driving a wedge through the heart of golfing world with the lure of money, money, and more money proving too tempting for many of the game’s best.
“Money might not be able to buy you happiness, but it can buy you almost all of the world’s best golfers! And let’s face it, some pretty rubbish ones too.”
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