Elvis Smylie has made a dazzling and lucrative start to life as a LIV Golf player, scooping up $US4.75 million ($A6.8 million) after winning the season's opening event under floodlights in Saudi Arabia on his tour debut.
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With a flawless eight-under round of 64 that left even mighty Jon Rahm in his shadow on Saturday evening, the 23-year-old left-hander grabbed a one-shot victory at Riyadh Golf Club while withstanding massive pressure from the Spanish two-time major winner.
As he lifted the team prize too alongside his Australian pals in 'Ripper GC', it ensured a pay-day for Smylie that dwarfed anything in his burgeoning career.
After he'd lifted the Australian PGA Championship crown at the end of 2024, the biggest win of his career, he picked up a $A340,000 cheque, but in Riyadh, he scooped $US4m ($A5.7m) for individual victory and $US750,000 ($A1.1 million) as his share of the team winnings.
But the young Aussie, the son of former tennis stars Liz and Peter Smylie, sounded far more interested in enthusing about the magnitude of his golfing achievement rather than the rewards.
Rahm had brought the heat on the Queenslander with four successive birdies to finish his nine-under round, leaving Smylie to have to par the final hole for victory.
Smylie only made the fringe of the green with his approach and had to get down in two from distance for the victory, which he achieved nervelessly.
"It's a dream come true. I really didn't know what to expect this week, playing at night, obviously a whole different ball game out here," said Smylie.
"And I wanted to come out here and make a statement. I wanted to prove that I'm one of the best out here, and I feel like I've done that and it's only up from here."
It was the culmination of a consummate front-running display as Smylie dropped only two shots all week while finishing on 24-under 264. Astonishingly, he covered his final 39 holes in 17-under without dropping a shot.
"On the outside, I probably looked quite calm and composed, and that's something that I work hard on with my sports psych back home, Michael Lloyd," explained Smylie, who'd been cheered around the course by his sister Laura.
"I really just tried to embrace every moment, and I knew that there's a world-class field trying to chase me down. It's a special feeling."
It was Smylie's first success since he won his home PGA in November 2024 at Royal Queensland, and may have already justified his move to LIV following a slightly underwhelming European tour odyssey in 2025.
Now he reckons he can't wait for his second LIV event back on Australian soil next week in Adelaide.
"It gives me a huge amount of confidence, it's going to be really exciting, playing in front of a home crowd."
The Rippers' first outing with Smylie on board proved a huge success with Lucas Herbert (tied ninth, 17 under), Cam Smith (tied 13th, 15 under) and Marc Leishman (tied 22nd, 13 under) all contributing handsomely to their combined 69-under total that left them three shots clear.
Smith, who's helped mentor Smylie ever since the youngster received the 2022 British Open champ's inaugural scholarship back in 2019, watched in delight as even Rahm's best efforts - he drove the par-four on the last and just missed an eagle putt - were repelled.
"So proud of him," said Smith. "I knew he was going to come down here and play well, but that was pretty, pretty special this week to come out like that, your first event, with Rambo breathing down your neck. Pretty impressive. I think we're in for a good year."
Smylie's sure of it. "Cam's world-class at what he does, and I feel like I have so much to learn from him, and I feel like I'm only going to get better and better," he said.
Australian Associated Press
