Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.<\/p>\n
Matt Jones, the first Australian to jump ship to Greg Norman\u2019s LIV Golf, says he is daunted by the prospect of losing his spot on the lucrative tour, with his future in the hands of Cameron Smith.<\/p>\n
Two-time Australian Open winner Jones faces the prospect of being in the golfing wilderness if former world No.2 Smith does not retain him on his Ripper team next year.<\/p>\n
Jones was declared a LIV free agent after finishing 37th on the individual standings on the 48-man roster in 2023.<\/p>\n
The top 24 players all retained their spots for 2024, and those outside that ranking who had long-term contracts were also safe. But Jones\u2019 contract ends at the end of this year, making his spot vulnerable.<\/p>\n
While Smith has battled for form during the Australian summer of golf, he\u2019s had another issue to contend with: who will join him and Marc Leishman on his franchise next year?<\/p>\n
Jones, who wore his Ripper apparel during the opening round of the Australian Open on Thursday, said he had yet to be given a definitive answer from Smith about next year\u2019s team line-up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Matt Jones competing in the first round of the Australian Open on Thursday.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n But golf sources speaking on the condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing said they expected Jones to be retained in Smith\u2019s line-up.<\/p>\n Asked whether he expected to be on the team, Jones said: \u201cI\u2019m not sure. We\u2019ll see what happens. I mean, hopefully. Who knows? It\u2019s up to Cam.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is daunting. There\u2019s nothing I can do about it. The only thing I can control is how I play. I didn\u2019t play well enough to not have to worry about free agency this year. My golf was not to the level where I expect it to be, or want it to be. It was actually pretty poor. Hopefully, Cam has belief in my golf game and I can help them out this coming season.<\/p>\n \u201cI had such a good time with Cam, Leish and Jed [Morgan]. They\u2019re such good guys and to be able to hang out with them was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameron Smith playing a shot from the bunker on the 18th hole at The Australian Golf Course on Friday.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Smith\u2019s other teammate, former Australian PGA champion Morgan, was automatically relegated after finishing in the bottom four on LIV\u2019s roster.<\/p>\n He will play in a qualifying event in Abu Dhabi this week trying to return to the breakaway league, which pays players $180,000 just for teeing it up in an event.<\/p>\n While speculation swirls around the prospect of US Masters winner Jon Rahm joining LIV Golf, both Jones and Leishman said they would have no issues playing 72-hole events to fit the Official World Golf Rankings criteria.<\/p>\n LIV\u2019s name was derived from the Roman numerals for 54, the number of holes played in each tournament.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll do whatever they tell me to do format wise,\u201d Leishman said. \u201cIf that means playing 72 holes and that\u2019s how we get world rankings points, I\u2019m more than happy to do it \u2013 and I\u2019m sure all the guys would be.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones said: \u201cI don\u2019t think it would be a problem at all, especially since we play 15 events.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the only problem would be for those guys in all the majors, they\u2019ve got a very condensed schedule now. It\u2019s a lot of golf for them to go to Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, come to Australia. It\u2019s easy for me to say yes, and Leish to say yes, but for Brooks [Koepka] and Cam and those guys, it\u2019s a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones (282) and Leishman (306) have plunged down the world rankings due to LIV\u2019s application for official status being rejected. Smith (23) is almost certain to lose an Olympics spot unless he wins a major next year and has now been replaced by Jason Day as Australia\u2019d top ranked golfer.<\/p>\n Jones\u2019 bid for a historic third national championship at his home course suffered a bizarre start when he was penalised two shots on his opening hole on Thursday for taking a preferred lie on an area in which it wasn\u2019t allowed.<\/p>\n He still carded a two-under 70 in his opening round at The Australian and eventually finished the week tied-33rd..<\/p>\n \u201cI just picked up the ball and moved it,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI thought it was on the fairway and there was no definition back there really, from fairway to first cut.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I saw it, I called Adam [Scott] and said, \u2018I think I moved my ball illegally\u2019. We knew it was two shots from that time.\u201d<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Most Viewed in Sport<\/h2>\n
From our partners<\/h3>\n