Elvis rocks LIV with fantastic debut triumph in Riyadh
Ian Chadband |
Elvis Smylie has made a dazzling start to his life as a LIV Golf player, winning the season’s opening event under floodlights in Saudi Arabia on his tour debut with a flawless display that left even mighty Jon Rahm in the shade.
The 23-year-old Australian left-hander recorded a wonderful bogey-free final-round, an eight-under 64, to win the title by one shot from Spanish great Rahm in Riyadh on Saturday evening.
Rahm had put massive pressure on the Queenslander with four successive birdies to finish his round, leaving Smylie to have to par the final hole for victory.
The debutant 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 with a superb long putt that drifted just past the hole and a return three-footer for the lucrative triumph.
“I mean, 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.”
It was the culmination of a magnificent week’s work featuring a consummate front-running display as Smylie dropped only two shots all week while finishing on a 24-under par total of 264.
Astonishingly, he covered his final 39 holes in 17-under without dropping a shot.
His solo triumph was also part of a huge double success for the former Australian PGA champion as he and his ‘Ripper’ colleagues – Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman – took the team trophy in Riyadh.
Smylie, son of former tennis stars Liz and Peter Smylie, was watched anxiously by his sister Laura at the floodlit Riyadh Golf Club, as Rahm produced a fantastic finish on 23 under par, almost eagling the 396-yard final hole when he drove on to the green.
But he just missed the putt which would have taken the tournament into a playoff, as Smylie made no mistake and earned the victory which will set him up perfectly to travel to Adelaide next week for the Australian leg of the LIV Golf tour.
AAP
