Cameron Smith is making a bold move ahead of the PGA Championship, and for the first time since he was nine years old, the Australian star is switching up his coaching team.

The 2022 Open Championship winner was once a dominant force on the PGA Tour, racking up wins with a smooth, confident swing. But since his move to LIV Golf, Smith's form has taken a noticeable hit. The numbers don't lie: he's missed the cut in his last six major championships. After a disappointing missed cut at The Masters and underwhelming finishes of T39 and T26 on the LIV circuit, Smith decided enough was enough.

In a move that has sent ripples through the golf world, Smith has parted ways with his childhood coach, Grant Field, whom he had worked with since he was just nine years old. It's a tough decision after 23 years together, but Smith is hoping a fresh perspective can reignite his game.

Enter Claude Harmon III, the son of legendary coach Butch Harmon, who famously worked with Tiger Woods during his prime. Harmon III already has a strong presence on LIV Golf, coaching Dustin Johnson, so he knows the tour and the players well. Smith is betting that this new partnership can help him rediscover the form that made him a major champion.

"It's just a bit of a different outlook," Smith explained to Today's Golfer. "It's not rocket science. I got to a point where I was thinking so many things in my golf swing that I couldn't hit the golf shot, which is never a fun place to be. He just really simplified it and made me think one thing rather than a thousand."

Smith added that the changes are already feeling positive: "It's starting to feel good and starting to feel like I can actually commit to some shots and hit some different shots, so it's coming along nicely."

Still, the decision to leave Field wasn't easy. "It was a terrible, terrible conversation to have," Smith admitted. "I've been seeing Grant since I was like nine years old, and he's a really good friend as well, so it was tough, but I feel like I've done the right thing for my golf. I think what I've done is right. I just need to go out there and do it, and get some confidence back."

For golf fans and gear enthusiasts alike, this is a story of resilience and reinvention. Smith is showing that even at the highest level, sometimes a fresh start—whether with a new coach, a new club setup, or a new mindset—is exactly what's needed to get back on track. As he heads into the PGA Championship at Aronimink, all eyes will be on whether this major change can help him recapture the magic that made him a champion.