Were Today and Sunrise BANNED from asking Open champion Cam Smith about joining rebel LIV golf tour?

Eyebrows have been raised after British Open champion Cameron Smith appeared on both Sunrise and the Today show to discuss his triumph at St Andrews – but a possible defection to the controversial LIV tour didn’t rate a single mention.

The affable Queenslander, 28, happily discussed his epic win on the famous greens in Scotland, non-stop beers and his flowing mullet – yet the sporting elephant in the room was bizarrely not up for discussion.

Smith first chatted with Sunrise sports journalist Mark Beretta on Channel 7 early on Friday morning, before a follow up interview on Channel 9 with Ally Langdon and Alex Cullen.

Both interviews lauded Smith’s electric final day performance, where he finished 20 under par to win the British Open by one stroke.

With Smith reportedly weighing up a monster $130million offer from LIV CEO Greg Norman to join the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka on the rebel tour, what he chooses to do next in his career has become a huge talking point.

The affable Queenslander, 28, happily discussed his epic win on the famous greens in Scotland, non-stop beers and his flowing mullet – yet the sporting elephant in the room was bizarrely not up for discussion

Fellow Aussies Adam Scott and Marc Leishman also continue to be linked to a move to the Saudi backed tour.

South African golf legend Ernie Els has advised Aussie cult hero Smith to stay with the PGA, with the four-time major adding that the 54-hole, no-cut events being offered by LIV have ‘no substance’.

‘Cam is in a great position. He’s entering his prime. He’s 28. He’s got time now to win (more) majors and I wouldn’t want to put that under any danger of not happening,’ Els said ahead of the Senior British Open.

‘So I would not at this stage go on any other tour where I might not play in a major again or be in a position to have to defend myself to play in a major. 

Cameron Smith was in the mood to celebrate after winning the British Open by one stroke

‘If I was Cam, I would like to just play my golf and put myself up the history books as far as I can go.

‘I would stay exactly where I am, do what I do, and the money’s there. It’s already there. The way he’s playing, you know, the level of golf he’s at, and that he might give up, so I’d stay in my lane and try and win majors.’

Smith told both Sunrise and Today that he plans to have a barbecue with friends at his lavish home in Jacksonville, Florida this weekend to toast his British Open success.

He admitted ‘plenty’ of drinks have been consumed out of the famous Claret Jug before confirming he plans to return to Australia before Christmas for the first time in three years.