Swede Ludvig Aberg, looking for his first major championship, fired a 1-under par 69 Friday and took the 36-hole lead at 5-under par in the U.…

  • Updated

Cameron Smith never gets emotional about anything. That changed Monday when he had to return the claret jug as the defending British Open champion. Now it's about winning it back, and Smith knows that won't be easy. He says it's still hard to believe it's been a year since he won at St. Andrews. So much has changed, starting with his defection to LIV Golf. Golf is more chaotic than ever with the PGA Tour striking a deal lacking many details with Saudi Arabia's golf interests. Smith feels confident about LIV Golf's future. For now, he wants that jug back.

The British Open returns to Royal Liverpool and all eyes are on Rory McIlroy. He has gone nine years since winning his last major. McIlroy came close to ending that drought last month at the U.S. Open and last year at St. Andrews. Padraig Harrington refers to him as a person of interest at the 151st Open because McIlroy seems due. It helps that McIlroy won the last time the British Open was held at Royal Liverpool in 2014. Conditions are favorable for him historically. The forecast for the area just south of Liverpool is for softer conditions than normal.

Cameron Smith has his first victory of the year. The Australian shot a 68 on Sunday to win LIV Golf-London by one stroke over Patrick Reed and Marc Leishman. Smith hadn't won since last September at another LIV Golf tournament. Next up he heads to Royal Liverpool in two weeks to defend his title in the British Open. Reed made six birdies on the back nine to make it close. But he didn't birdie any of the par 5s in his round of 65. Marc Leishman birdied the 18th for a 66. The 4 Aces won the team competition.