Words: Release
Photo: Mark Wilson – Golfplus Media.
| Twenty-two-year-old Queenslander Elvis Smylie has stared down idol Cameron Smith to claim a life-changing victory at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club. A Cameron Smith Scholarship winner in 2019, Smylie started the final round level with the three-time Joe Kirkwood Cup winner but never gave any indication that he would be overawed by the occasion. Two birdies out of the blocks was the ideal way to settle into his round, the WA Open champion last month never worse than tied for the lead throughout the entirety of the round. Birdies at six and seven maintained that forward momentum as the likes of Smith (69), Marc Leishman (69) and David Micheluzzi (69) struggled to keep pace. Four crucial par saves on the back nine gave Smylie a buffer that didn’t shorten until Smith chipped in in from behind the green at the 17th to reduce the margin to two. Smylie then missed his birdie chance from six feet to set-up an enthralling finish. He and Smith both found the greenside trap with their approach shots, Smylie conjuring one final save to close out a round of 4-under 67 and a two-stroke win. In addition to etching his name alongside the other winners on the Joe Kirkwood Cup, Smylie earned an all-important DP World Tour membership for two seasons having tried and failed on several occasions to pass through the tough Qualifying School process in recent years. “It’s a dream come true,” Smylie said. “I won’t forget this day, you know, playing with Cam and Leish there. I looked up to these guys since I was a kid and just being in their presence and compete against them for the title, I’ve learnt so much and just so grateful and so honoured right now.” “I’m a proud ambassador for BMW and have been a proud ambassador for the last three years. It is an absolute honour to be with a brand like BMW (as well as) Titleist, Footjoy and Golf Australia. My team; Ritchie Smith, Luke Mackey, Michael Lloyd, Marty McGuinness, my mum and dad.” “They have been with me every step of the way. I saw my mum in the corner there, tearing up before I holed that last putt so everyone who has been on this journey with me, they know how hard I’ve worked to be here and hopefully this is just the start of good things to come.” |
