Cam Smith would welcome final-round showdown with Rory McIlroy

Nothing would please pundits more at this Open Championship than a Sunday afternoon duel between defending champion and LIV star Cam Smith and tournament favourite Rory McIlroy

DEFENDING CHAMP: Australia's Cameron Smith tees off the 5th during a practice round ahead of The Open at the Royal Liverpool, Wirral. Pic: Richard Sellers/PA Wire

Having spent a year on opposite sides of golf’s great existential debate, nothing would please pundits more at this 151st Open Championship than a Sunday afternoon duel between defending champion and LIV star Cam Smith and tournament favourite Rory McIlroy.

Australia’s Smith, who signed up for the Saudi-financed mega-millions of the LIV Tour to the chagrin of newly-minted Scottish Open champion McIlroy and other PGA Tour loyalists not long after he had seen off the Irishman to lift the Claret Jug at St Andrews 12 months ago, returned the famous old trophy at Royal Liverpool on Monday and admitted he had been holding back the tears as he did so.