LIV Golf star Cameron Smith is easily the best Australian golfer in the world, and it’s not even close. Yet, his spot on the 2024 Australian Olympic golf team is not set in stone.

Because the PGA Tour-controlled OWGR refuses to award ranking points to LIV events, Smith will need to earn enough ranking points on both the Australian PGA tour and in next season’s majors to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Smith, who entered the LIV Golf league in late 2022 as the world No. 2, has fallen to No. 18, despite three worldwide wins in the past 12 months (two on the LIV circuit and one on the Australian PGA tour).

Only the top 60 are eligible to qualify for Paris.

Smith will defend his 2022 Australian PGA Championship title this week at the Royal Queensland Golf Club. A win would move Smith close to the top 10.

“Yeah I definitely want to be there, one-hundred-percent,” Smith told reporters, of the Olympics, on Tuesday.

“I know the criteria, don’t know if that can change.”

Smith will also be able to earn points at the Australian Open in Sydney next week.

“I’ve got these couple of events and four more looks again in the majors, so hopefully I can keep that ranking up (inside the top 60),” added Smith.

“To wear the coat of arms on the chest again would be pretty special.”

LIV’s bid to have its players earn ranking points was rejected last month by the PGA Tour-controlled Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

Associated Press contributed to this report.