Rebel LIV tour and golf’s civil war overshadowed everything at the Open

The condensed nature of the men’s major championship schedule leaves an unsatisfactory pause after the final putts are holed at the Open. To be precise, 263 days will have passed between Cameron Smith holding the Claret Jug aloft at the Old Course and the opening tee shots being struck at the 2023 Masters.

There is reason, however, to wonder what on earth the professional game could – or should – look like by the time it returns to Augusta National next year. Mainstream tours can wish away the LIV Series all they like and the R&A can try to divert focus on to Smith’s outstanding final round of 64, but the fact remains this major was dominated by discourse about the rebel league.

In no particular order: Tiger Woods rubbished the Saudi Arabia-backed concept. Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive, made plain that he has little time for it either. Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson were absent from past champions’ events because of their LIV association. Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood took aim at the media. Sergio García did likewise towards the DP World, formerly European, Tour. As Smith was in the midst of a trophy presentation, the former European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was on social media defending himself against claims made by García. The man currently in the role once held by Bjorn, Henrik Stenson, has been constantly linked with a defection to LIV. So, too, has the former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama. A deal for Matsuyama could be worth upwards of $300m.

When asked directly whether he had LIV in his sights – and there is background chatter of an all-Australian team being unveiled – Smith issued a classic non-denial/denial. “I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that,” said Smith. “I think