Who’s Elvis Smylie, mother and father, Cameron Smith

For a lot of in Australian golf, it was a matter of when, not if, Elvis Smylie would make his mark on the skilled recreation.

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After being named for the king of rock and roll and rubbing shoulders with sporting royalty all his life, the prodigiously proficient 23-year-old was seemingly at all times destined for large issues.

Then the son of former Australian skilled tennis gamers Liz and Peter Smylie’s breakthrough got here finally week’s Australian PGA Championship.

The left hander grew up with golf mentors like 1991 British Open champion Ian Baker-Finch and 1990 US PGA champion Wayne Grady, and he confirmed the composure of an skilled campaigner to complete two photographs away from Cameron Smith and carry the trophy.

Sport’s elite have at all times been near Smylie. He revealed on Tuesday, when talking forward of the Australian Open, that eight-time tennis grand slam champion Ivan Lendl messaged him his congratulations after tuning in from America.

“I’m fairly a peaceful composed particular person and I really feel like as my profession has gone on, I’ve hung round with folks loads older than myself so I’ve at all times realized how one can mature fairly rapidly and past my years,” Smylie mentioned.

“In order that’s one thing that’s put me in good stead as properly as a result of while you’re in moments the place you’re coming down the stretch, it was a Sunday afternoon and also you’ve bought the likes of Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman respiration down your again in addition to different high gamers that have been taking part in final week, these form of composed moments are actually necessary to recollect.”

Smylie’s pedigree coupled along with his elegant expertise rapidly made him touted as a future star as phrase unfold of his spectacular performances in junior tournaments.

Australia’s most up-to-date male main champion, Smith, stood up and took discover that the Gold Coast resident had an enormous future by making him considered one of his scholarship recipients in 2019.

As a part of the scholarship, Smith gave Smylie and fellow Queenslander Tyler Duncan an all bills paid journey to Florida to stick with him for per week, observe collectively and play rounds collectively – as he does for 2 younger Australian golfers yearly.

So final weekend’s duel between Smylie and Smith within the closing group, together with Marc Leishman, was a big second.

Smylie at all times appeared the seemingly victor when he birdied the primary two holes of the ultimate spherical, however Smith was looming all through, and though he walked away disenchanted to not snare a fourth Australian PGA crown, he was mightily impressed by his mentee.

“It’s bittersweet. It’s actually cool to see. I didn’t suppose it could occur this rapidly,” Smith mentioned with amusing about being overwhelmed by his scholarship recipient.

“He’s on a very good observe. Clearly, it’s an extended strategy to come from being a junior golfer to being knowledgeable. He simply retains taking the proper steps.

“Even that week (in 2019) you may inform he was a very laborious employee, which is a very good trait to have. He ought to benefit from the win however hold working actually laborious, as a result of he’s nonetheless bought an extended strategy to go.”

Smylie, in fact, has fond reminiscences of that week 5 years in the past.

Regardless of spending a lot time with elite athletes, it was a special expertise to be with a present participant who was near hitting the height of their powers.

“Spending per week with Cam and seeing what life was like taking part in on the most important stage in golf and simply seeing what life was like going about his enterprise on a day-to-day foundation. It’s one thing that’s invaluable and that form of expertise was nice to see firsthand as a result of not many individuals get that chance,” Smylie mentioned.

“So, I performed a observe spherical with him on the New South Wales Open with him and Lucas Herbert and that was the final time that I’d performed with Cam earlier than that 2019 journey.

“So, simply seeing how far I’ve come and simply evaluating my recreation to youngsters, it was nice to have the ability to simply speak to him about a few issues that I’m engaged on with my placing, a few the drills that he’s been doing with a few of the different guys on depart and it’s actually put me in good stead.”

In some methods, his journey is now simply starting.

Earlier this 12 months, Smylie tried his hand at DP World Tour qualifying college however missed the primary stage by one shot.

He got here up quick the 2 earlier years as properly, however now, he has a two-year exemption to the previously named European Tour.

The Australian PGA Championship and this week’s Australian Open are co-sanctioned between the PGA Tour of Australasia and the DP World Tour, and when you win on tour, you earn the proper to play it for twenty-four months.

The winner of the Order of Advantage of the Australasian tour will get a DP World Tour card for the following 12 months, which is what Smylie had his sights set on initially of the present season.

His possibilities have been trying promising after notching up his maiden skilled victory on the WA Open final month, however now he needn’t hassle.

Latest days have grow to be a scramble to organise the change of plans which begins with a visit to South Africa subsequent week to tackle the likes of Presidents Cup gamers Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Corey Conners, Max Homa and Mackenzie Hughes for a share of the US$6 million prize purse.

However first, he has one other main alternative.

The highest three finishers on the Australian Open earn a begin on the British Open – the place Smylie made his main debut this 12 months after he got here by way of qualifying.

It’s at all times a problem to again up after an enormous win – as Cameron Smith confirmed when the nationwide open was performed in Melbourne two years in the past and made the minimize by the pores and skin of his enamel – however Smylie’s colleagues don’t suppose he can have a lot difficulty.

Leishman was shocked by what he noticed on Sunday.

“It was nice taking part in with Cam and Elvis within the final spherical and to see Elvis do what he did, it was fairly spectacular,” Leishman mentioned.

“So clearly very completely happy for him in successful, want it was me, nevertheless it’s good to see the younger lad accomplish that properly and deal with the stress and positively bought a really shiny future.

“Elvis performed so good, putted so nice, which is what you need to do some days to win and clearly very completely happy for him to get a win.”

Smylie’s emergence is making issues more durable for the likes of Leishman and Ripper GC teammate Lucas Herbert.

Leishman, possibly solely half-jokingly, mentioned that Smith is Smylie and different younger Australians to exchange him and Matt Jones on Ripper GC as they age, whereas Herbert is discovering them pesky as he chases his largest win on house soil.

Herbert’s win on the NSW Open earlier this month was his first as knowledgeable in Australia, and he needs a much bigger prize this week, however is being critically challenged by the native upstarts.

“You nearly neglect how good a few of these guys are again in Australia as properly. Elvis is a superb instance final week,” Herbert mentioned.

“A man who’s predominantly been taking part in on the Australian Tour and struggling for some invitations on the market in Europe and simply holds off Cam and Leish on Sunday with ease.

“There’s only a bunch of men like that out right here that you simply simply neglect play out right here and also you come again to those occasions and also you suppose yearly ‘oh certainly we’ve bought to win considered one of these’, however yearly simply it sneaks up and also you’re like, ‘gee, these guys are nonetheless actually good’.”

It isn’t simply the older gamers who’re taking notice.

Karl Vilips is Australia’s latest PGA Tour participant after incomes his card on the Korn Ferry Tour in first 12 months as knowledgeable.

The 23-year-old – who went to highschool in Florida and faculty at Stanford College in California – is aware of Smylie from their junior days collectively on nationwide groups and in Perth, and is delighted to have one other up-and-coming Australian taking up the sport’s massive names.

“I’m actually pleased with Elvis and what he’s performed the final three weeks in WA after which clearly in Brisbane,” Vilips mentioned.

“I believe it simply goes to indicate that he works extraordinarily laborious and that pays off. So, he primarily will be fast and he’s an excellent instance of all the pieces that occurs so as and I’m simply actually completely happy to see him succeeding in the intervening time.”

Smylie’s likelihood is sturdy once more this week as he performed Kingston Heath and Victoria – the host venues for the Australian Open – recurrently throughout his beginner days.

Min Woo Lee nearly pulled off a particular double final 12 months when he completed third the week after successful the Australian PGA.

Lee, who performs on the PGA Tour, made himself a hero amongst native followers within the course of.

The pair have additionally grow to be shut previously 12 months since Smylie joined the Ritchie Smith steady.

Lee, his sister Minjee and Hannah Inexperienced – who each headline the ladies’s discipline this week – are all coached by Smith who is predicated in Perth.

Three-quarters of Australia’s Olympic workforce from this 12 months’s Paris Video games are his pupils, and Smylie jumped on board to show his recreation round after a few stagnant years.

He would possibly now be on the trail to Los Angeles in 4 years’ time, and grow to be Australian golf’s new hero.