British Open champion Smith joins LIV Golf - official

British Open champion Cameron Smith has become the latest leading player to sign up to the breakaway LIV Golf Series, which on Tuesday announced that he was in the field for its next event.

The Australian was one of six new recruits for the Saudi-backed tour for the LIV Golf Invitational Boston, from September 2-4.

As the world's number two, the 29-year-old Smith will become the highest-ranked player to compete in a LIV Golf event.

Smith was linked repeatedly to LIV Golf shortly after winning the 150th British Open last month but avoided discussing the subject while playing in this month's PGA FedEx Cup playoffs.

A LIV statement issued Tuesday said Smith would be among five other players making their debuts among a field of 98 at the International in Massachusetts, including compatriot Marc Leishman, leading Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann, Harold Varner III (world no 46), Cameron Tringale (55) and India's top-ranked pro Anirban Lahiri (92).

LIV Golf's record $25 million purses and 54-hole format have attracted several big-name players, including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson.

But its creation has sparked a bitter split with the established US PGA tour and a flurry of lawsuits.

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy has been one of LIV Golf's most outspoken critics among players.

And the 33-year-old from Northern Ireland rammed home his point on Sunday after winning the 18 million top prize in the season-ending PGA Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.

"It means an awful lot," McIlroy said. "This is an incredibly proud moment for me but it should also be an incredibly proud moment for the PGA Tour. They have had some