🔴 SHOCKING NEWS: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen OFFICIALLY SUES Cameron Smith for “Cheating and Collusion with Referee” – The Biggest Legal Battle in Modern Golf History Has Begun

Copenhagen/Melbourne – 11 December 2025 – The golf world has been plunged into chaos after 2025 Crown Australian Open champion Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen filed a multi-million-dollar defamation lawsuit against Cameron Smith, accusing the LIV Golf star of “malicious and completely false” claims of cheating and referee collusion.

The 25-year-old Dane, who won his maiden DP World Tour title in dramatic fashion at Royal Melbourne on Sunday, launched legal action in the Supreme Court of Victoria late Wednesday night.

The suit demands A$25 million (≈ US$16.5 million) in damages and a full public retraction, claiming Smith’s post-tournament outburst “irreparably damaged” his reputation, sponsorship deals, and future earnings.

In explosive court documents seen by ESPN and The Age, Neergaard-Petersen’s lawyers state:

“Mr Smith deliberately and recklessly accused our client of criminal conduct – cheating through illegal equipment and collusion with a rules official – in front of millions of viewers, knowing full well the accusations were baseless.

These statements were calculated to destroy a young player’s career for personal gain and LIV Golf propaganda.”

The lawsuit specifically references Smith’s Sunday press conference where he said: “Rasmus’s wins aren’t clean. It’s all PGA favoritism – the calls, the pairings, the media push… That shot from the rough? Impossible without help.”

Neergaard-Petersen’s legal team has included independent forensic ball-flight analysis from TrackMan and Titleist showing the 242-yard shot on the 15th was “statistically rare but entirely legal and within Mr Neergaard-Petersen’s proven capabilities.” The referee named in the accusation, Andrew Morrow, has also provided a sworn affidavit stating “no impropriety occurred.”

Cameron Smith responded via a fiery Instagram post Thursday morning: “See you in court, mate. I said what I said. Truth hurts.”

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman backed Smith, tweeting: “Cam is fighting for integrity in the game. We stand 100 % behind him.” Meanwhile, DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings called the lawsuit “regrettable but understandable,” confirming the tour will cooperate fully.

The fallout has been immediate and brutal:

Titleist shares dropped 6.2 % overnightNeergaard-Petersen’s new multi-year TaylorMade contract is reportedly “on hold” pending outcomeThe Masters Committee issued a rare statement: “Mr Neergaard-Petersen remains invited to the 2026 tournament”#GolfGate2025 has surpassed 18 million posts in 24 hours

Legal experts predict the case could drag into 2027 and become the most expensive defamation battle in sports history. Smith faces potential damages far exceeding the A$1.5 million he earned for runner-up, plus punitive costs if found to have acted with “actual malice.”

Rasmus’s manager told Danish media: “He didn’t want this fight, but he will not let lies destroy what he’s built. Cameron picked the wrong opponent.”

Cameron Smith, scheduled to play the LIV Golf Promotions event this weekend, has refused to back down: “I’ll say it in court under oath. That ball didn’t move by itself.”

As lawyers prepare for war, one thing is certain: the gentleman’s game just got very, very ugly. And the biggest casualty may be golf’s reputation itself.

The first hearing is set for February 2026 in Melbourne. Until then, every shot Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen hits will be under a microscope, and every word Cameron Smith speaks will be evidence.

Welcome to the new era of golf – where birdies come with subpoenas.