PGA Tour’s future, Scheffler’s stats, Nelly Korda’s fiancé, and a hole-in-one car dilemma. The Back Nine.
From Open Champion to struggling pro: Cameron Smith, the 150th Champion Golfer of the Year in 2022, once ranked World No. 2, has seen a dramatic fall in form since joining LIV Golf. After a T4 at the 2023 US Open and T6 at the 2024 Masters, Smith has missed the cut at all four majors in 2025 and recently failed to make the weekend at the BMW Australian PGA Championship—his seventh consecutive missed cut outside the LIV circuit. Despite his financial success, Smith admitted to being mentally lost: ‘It was just shit,’ he said after his early exit in Brisbane. ‘I don’t know why. I felt good, confident, but nothing worked. It’s definitely shaken me.’
Cameron Smith made double bogey on the last to shoot a second round 75 and miss the cut at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. That makes it missed cuts in back to back weeks for Cam and 7 out of 7 for the year.
What’s going on with the former world number 2? 😳 pic.twitter.com/e1Og0n0jXk
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) November 28, 2025
To be fair, Smith’s life changed significantly this year with the birth of his son Remy in April. Still, he openly admits to battling mental struggles, calling his performance in Brisbane a ‘horror show’ and referencing ‘inner demons.’ He added, ‘I haven’t thought much about golf in the past, but lately I have. I want to get back to where I was.’
PGA Tour CEO on the Future of the Tour
Recent comments from Harris English about a shortened 20–22 event PGA Tour season starting post-Super Bowl in 2027 stirred speculation. At CNBC’s CEO Council Forum, new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp addressed the topic, emphasizing that nothing is finalized but discussions are ongoing. ‘Competing with football for media dollars is tough,’ Rolapp said. ‘We’re exploring how to restructure the schedule to better engage fans, including postseason formats that resonate with both golf and general sports audiences.’
He added that the Future Competition Committee, chaired by Tiger Woods, is evaluating how to create bigger, better events. ‘We’ve asked media partners and fans: What would you do with a blank sheet of paper? That feedback is shaping our vision.’