With a reputation like Elvis, it’s no surprise he can wow a crowd.
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Elvis Smylie made one of many greatest steps ahead in his younger skilled golf profession on Thursday on the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland with a -6 opening spherical that included a miraculous end at his last gap.
Smylie, who’s the son of Australian tennis nice Liz Smylie, was within the greenside bunker on the par 5 ninth – he teed off on the tenth – for 2 and regarded prone to make an up-and-down birdie.
He made birdie, nevertheless it was not an up-and-down.
Along with his third shot, the 22-year-old fatted his bunker shot into one other bunker in addition to the inexperienced.
It appeared as if he would unravel.
However remarkably, Smylie dusted the sand off himself, walked to the subsequent bunker and holed his subsequent shot, for birdie.
“I technically didn’t contact the inexperienced and I made 4, which is an effective technique to end and plenty of positives out of the day,” Smylie stated with a beaming smile.
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Because the morning teams wrapped up and descended into the clubhouse, it was Elvis who entered the constructing with the lead.
He sits one shot away from Swiss Olympian Joel Girrbach, and two pictures away from an enormous pack that features Australian large names Cameron Smith, Jason Day and Marc Leishman.
The Gold Coast resident has been one to look at in Australian golf for a while.
He was a highly-regarded junior and newbie, and picked up his first win as knowledgeable on the WA Open final month.
The left-hander has already performed in a significant – he took half on this 12 months’s Open Championship at Royal Troon after he earned a spot at one of many 36-hole qualifying occasions – and isn’t shy to speak about his lofty targets.
“It’s nice having all of the Aussies again house and supporting the Australian tournaments. And it’s nice to compete in opposition to them as a result of in the end I need to be of their footwear and what they’re doing of their profession,” Smylie – who performed three teams behind Smith, Day and defending champion Min Woo Lee – stated.
“It’s nice for me to have the ability to evaluate my recreation in opposition to theirs and see what areas I would like to enhance on.”
The Greg Norman Medal on Tuesday night time was the primary time Smylie had met Day, however he already is aware of Smith properly.
In 2019, he was certainly one of Smith’s scholarship recipients the place he spent per week in the US enjoying and practising with the foremost champion in addition to attending a event to look at him in motion.
Day guarantees to play in Aus extra usually | 02:24
Though, Smylie is now a colleague of Smith and different large names, he’s not taking any probability to select the brains of, or watch and study from, the very best with no consideration.
That’s the reason he made an enormous profession transfer 12 months in the past.
Regardless of solely being 21 on the time, Smylie felt like his recreation when within the ghetto.
Many in Australian golf felt like he stagnating.
He ventured to Europe in 2022 however missed the lower in all 5 DP World Tour occasions he performed for the 12 months.
His return house was not as fruitful as he would have favored, or anticipated.
A breakthrough victory remained elusive final 12 months as he went shut at The Gamers Sequence Victoria (tied second) and The Nationwide Event (third) on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
However sad along with his progress, Smylie made the decision to fully change is help staff.
Smith determined for Aussie redemption | 00:57
He joined the steady of Perth-based coach Ritchie Smith who boasts Min Woo and Minjee Lee in addition to Hannah Inexperienced – three quarters of Australia’s Olympic staff in Paris – amongst his pupils.
The change has paid dividends up to now with enhancements on the native tour final season, earlier than beginning the present season with a bang to take a seat third on the Order of Advantage.
“I wanted a clear slate and I really feel like I’m actually pleased with what we’re doing all collectively,” Smylie stated.
“They’re all right here this week, so it’s nice for everybody to be on the similar event and we’re all working collectively very well. And yeah, my recreation’s gone from power to power ever since.”
Past an announcement win this week, the carrots dangling in entrance of gamers on the Australasian tour are at all times on Smylie’s thoughts.
The Order of Advantage winner every season positive factors a DP World Tour card – the 2 most recipients Kazuma Kobori and David Micheluzzi are within the subject this week – in addition to the prospect to play The Open and The US Open subsequent 12 months.
Subsequent week’s Australian Open additionally gives a pathway to the majors with three locations in The Open on supply to the highest three, not already exempt, finishers.
The alternatives are proper in entrance of Smylie, however the time is now to show that he belongs among the many greatest – as many eager golf followers imagine he does.