Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\nAnother win this week in Adelaide, and Smylie is projected to rocket himself to about 45th. <\/p>\n
There remains heavy conjecture over whether LIV Golf is appropriately recognised by the OWGR, and fair enough. Smylie only clinched 22.99 points in Riyadh compared to Chris Gotterup\u2019s 58.10 in Phoenix.<\/p>\n
However, Smylie\u2019s win shows how the OWGR\u2019s softened stance towards LIV does genuinely leave the door ajar to its best performers.<\/p>\n
\u2018CAN BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD\u2019 <\/p>\n
Should Smylie break new ground by busting through that door, the wider golfing world will be in no doubt over his true potential.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s something that\u2019s been understood for some time to golf fans on these shores, where Smylie is not an unknown force. <\/p>\n
That is in small part down to the fact that he might not even be the most famous member of his family. Smylie\u2019s mother, Liz, is a four-time Grand Slam winner in doubles, while father Peter was also a tennis pro. <\/p>\n
Riyadh champ Smylie eyeing masters spot | 00:29<\/p>\n
But Smylie\u2019s own fame is chiefly down to a breakthrough win at the 2024 Australian PGA Championship, where he edged out mentor Cameron Smith to win by two shots. <\/p>\n
Even so, his rise to this point has been far more rapid than anyone could\u2019ve thought.<\/p>\n
Take it from Smith, whose relationship with Smylie goes back to 2019 when he was the 17-year-old recipient of the scholarship bearing his name. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all happened really quickly,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI don\u2019t think I would have thought it would happen that quick. But it has, and it\u2019s great. It\u2019s awesome. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think Elvis has already decided he wants to be one of the best golfers in the world and he proved it (in Riyadh).<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the crazy thing is I still think he\u2019s got a lot of improving to go, which is pretty scary, really, for the rest of us, because he waxed us.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I genuinely think he can be the best golfer in the world. He\u2019s got all the tools of the trade. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got the mentality, he\u2019s got the grit \u2014 he\u2019s a Queenslander, so that comes with it \u2014 so he has to decide where he goes from here, and I think he can only go one way, and it\u2019s to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though Smith\u2019s praise is undoubtedly the strongest Smylie has received, this is not merely a case of mentor sticking up for protegee (and teammate, since his recruitment by Ripper GC). <\/p>\n
If the OWGR was the biggest talking point in Adelaide, it only narrowly eclipsed Smylie who was a firm rival for top-billing. From Smylie\u2019s Ripper teammates, to international rivals at Fireballs and Smash GC, it was clear that the Australian left an astonishing first impression in Riyadh. <\/p>\n
Smylie after winning the 2024 Australian PGA Championship.Source: AFP<\/p>\n
\u201cI played with Elvis in the final round. What an incredible golfer and such a good kid,\u201d LIV Golf\u2019s individual champion in 2023, Talor Gooch, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty-three years old is crazy to think about. I was not nearly as mature as he is when I was 23 and not nearly as good of a golfer as he is.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredible since I\u2019ve turned pro how much better these dudes are when they turn pro than what we were 10 years ago when we turned (pro) — it\u2019s unbelievable the shift in that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s awesome. You see a 23-year-old Elvis that just won … and to see him putting all the time in, and he\u2019s literally 30 years younger than some of the other guys out here … it\u2019s incredible.\u201d <\/p>\n
And it wasn\u2019t just the senior crop who were left gushing over Smylie.<\/p>\n
So, too, were his rival young guns on tour David Puig, Josele Ballester and Luis Masaveu, who are all less than 25 but are equally stunned by Smylie\u2019s own rapid rise. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe played incredible,\u201d Puig said. \u201cI tried my hardest to beat him, and he just kept making birdies and playing awesome golf.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe it means that the youngsters are hopefully ready to win a little more. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a great inspiration for me and probably for those two guys (Ballester and Masaveu), as well, to know that in a way we\u2019re ready to win, and hopefully beat the older players more often.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ballester added: \u201cSeeing Elvis win last week was definitely inspirational.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a good sign for the league that young guys like us, we can start being in contention more often and eventually win like Elvis did.\u201d <\/p>\n
Masaveu said he was also inspired by Smylie\u2019s win, adding that it showed the young guns that \u201cwe can do it as well\u201d.<\/p>\n
Elvis Smylie\u2019s most recent pro results <\/p>\n
LIV Riyadh \u2014 1 <\/p>\n
Hero Dubai Desert Classic \u2014 T109<\/p>\n
Australian Open \u2014 T8 <\/p>\n
Australian PGA Championship \u2014 T19<\/p>\n
DP World Tour Championship \u2014 T42 <\/p>\n
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship \u2014 T32<\/p>\n
Genesis Championship \u2014 T75 <\/p>\n
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship \u2014 T99<\/p>\n
Open de France \u2014 T2 <\/p>\n
BMW PGA Championship \u2014 T31 <\/p>\n
Irish Open \u2014 T37 <\/p>\n
Betfred British Masters \u2014 T33 <\/p>\n
Danish Golf Championship \u2014 T6 <\/p>\n
A LANDMARK STEP <\/p>\n
There is an added twist to Smylie\u2019s LIV arrival that makes his situation even more incredible. <\/p>\n
While many of LIV\u2019s recruits joined the tour at the expense of competing on others \u2014 in many cases, memberships were relinquished \u2014 Smylie has suggested he will remain a semi-regular contender on Europe\u2019s DP World Tour. <\/p>\n
That is despite the fact that the DP World Tour has issued hefty fines to members who have skipped events to play conflicting LIV Golf tournaments. <\/p>\n
Rahm revealed earlier this year that in two seasons on LIV Golf, his fines have tallied about A$4.2 million, though they were subject to an appeal.<\/p>\n
Smylie\u2019s arrangement is a curious one with the Australian refusing to reveal its exact details.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, his comments suggest that LIV Golf chief Scott O\u2019Neil has brokered a special deal for a select few, including Smylie, to continue to play on Europe\u2019s premiere circuit without significant penalty. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe one thing that I will say is what a great job Scott O\u2019Neil has done with being able to have negotiations with the DP World Tour and coming up with a solution for us LIV players that still want to continue playing on the DP World Tour,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been given that opportunity, and I\u2019m excited to continue playing on that Tour.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s protocols to go through, and there\u2019s steps that LIV is still going through with the DP World Tour, but we\u2019re really confident that we\u2019re able to move in a positive direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last season was Smylie\u2019s first as a full-time DP World Tour player. His best result outside of winning the Australian PGA was a T2 at the Open de France, where he was narrowly defeated by Michael Kim, while he claimed top-10 finishes at the Danish Golf Championship and Australian Open. <\/p>\n
Speaking of the importance of continuing in Europe, Smylie said he views the exposure to different courses and environments as crucial to his ongoing development.<\/p>\n
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 10: Elvis Smylie ahead of LIV Adelaide at The Grange Golf Club on February 10, 2026 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year was such a huge learning curve of having that opportunity of playing so many different tournaments worldwide, and that tour is still very competitive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I feel like playing on that tour is still going to put me in really good stead in order to continue to get better. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat experience last year in Europe really served me in great stead. I felt like I really became a worldly golfer. You\u2019re always competing in different environments and conditions, and that\u2019s something that I\u2019ve really thrived on, and I\u2019m really looking forward to this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
If nothing else, the shock development \u2014 and the lengths in which LIV was prepared to go in its hunt for his signature \u2014 speak to how highly-rated Smylie is. <\/p>\n
His next step could prove mutually beneficial, too, amid a backdrop of uncertainty for LIV Golf.<\/p>\n
The Saudi-backed tour is reaching its crossroads moment as it heads into a fifth season, with more stars coming off contract.<\/p>\n
Already, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have quit the league to chase returns on the PGA Tour. <\/p>\n
There is the potential for more to follow with DeChambeau refusing to commit beyond this year, while the PGA Tour briefly threatened to snatch Smith and Rahm via a special, limited-time offer. Though that offer has now lapsed, it stands to reason another could emerge in the future with the PGA Tour clearly open to bringing top players back into the fold. <\/p>\n
It places added importance on the success of those that LIV have recruited to flourish into big names in their own rights.<\/p>\n
Herbert goes in on OWGR over rankings | 00:35<\/p>\n
In the absence of any big-name signings, recruits have increasingly trended toward young players, such as Smylie, who aren\u2019t superstars, but have the potential to be so. Puig and Ballester are earlier examples, while champion college golfer Michael La Sasso was this year plucked as another prospect. <\/p>\n
Combined with the special deal with the DP World Tour \u2014 and the fact his recruitment left foundational player Matt Jones without a spot on LIV Golf \u2014 Smylie has added weight on his shoulders in his debut year. <\/p>\n
Even so, that pressure comes with opportunity. And on the weight of early evidence, it\u2019s one that Smylie is ready to grasp. <\/p>\n
He knows that he\u2019s already \u201cgained the respect of each player on the tour\u201d, but he made it clear in Adelaide that this is just the beginning. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think the important thing for me … is just not get too complacent with what we achieved last week, which was something significant,\u201d Smylie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we now want to look forward and look for the next mountain to climb…\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You are forgiven if you missed it. Under lights in Saudi Arabia, on a breakaway tour, is not…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":474073,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[566],"tags":[3443,2095,5888,1724,64,63,689,241771,25584,241769,3193,241772,241768,241773,198539,47529,238319,5506,2057,241770,676,2592,189813,2105,755,1745,10919,14238,241758,42328,241760,133420,19470,5507,62092,42326,2041,2067,677,70796,1101,29169,117784,29962,241765,241766,236386,23508,14640,241762,241763,111236,1124,241764,85,18394,241759,2614,12000,2062,29739,241767,125130,37655,241761,3517,106245,19121],"class_list":["post-474072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-golf","tag-adelaide","tag-america","tag-arizona","tag-asia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-refusing","tag-being-able","tag-breakthrough-win","tag-cameron-smith","tag-champion-college-golfer","tag-colleagues-trip","tag-crazy-thing","tag-crossroads-moment","tag-danish-golf-championship","tag-debut-event","tag-elvis-smylie","tag-europe","tag-famous-member","tag-final-round","tag-france","tag-francois-nel","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-golf","tag-golf-news","tag-golfing-world","tag-grange-golf-club","tag-international-golfing-superstar","tag-jacob-polychronis","tag-landmark-step","tag-learning-curve","tag-liz","tag-lucas-herbert","tag-matt-jones","tag-michael-kim","tag-north-america","tag-northern-america","tag-oceania","tag-patrick-reed","tag-peter","tag-phoenix","tag-positive-direction","tag-rapid-rise","tag-result-outside","tag-rival-young-guns","tag-riyadh-golf-club","tag-sarah","tag-saudi-arabia","tag-semi-regular-contender","tag-senior-crop","tag-showpiece-event","tag-south-australia","tag-special-deal","tag-sports","tag-talking-point","tag-talor-gooch","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-western-asia","tag-western-europe","tag-world-ranking","tag-world-ranking-goals","tag-world-ranking-points","tag-world-rankings","tag-world-rankings-tumble","tag-young-guns","tag-young-guys","tag-young-players"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=474072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474072\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=474072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=474072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=474072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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