Australian Elvis Smylie showed nerves of steel to fend off the challenge of his golfing idol and fellow countryman Cameron Smith to win his first DP World Tour title with a two-shot victory at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.
The 22-year-old secured his first professional success at the WA Open last month on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and continued his rich vein of form with a two-shot triumph at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
Smylie was one of two players to receive the Cameron Smith Scholarship in 2019 and he began Sunday’s final round alongside the three-time winner of this event in an all-Australian final group including Marc Leishman.
The Gold Coast native shared the lead with Smith after the second round, but the 150th Open Champion endured a roller coaster front nine on Sunday of the weather-shortened event, including three birdies and four bogeys as Smylie reached the turn with a three-shot lead thanks to a blemish-free 32.
The son of four-time grand slam tennis doubles champion Liz Smylie stayed calm with a number clutch par putts down the stretch for a flawless 67 in his total of 14 under par, finishing two clear of Smith.
Antony Quayle fired a closing 63 – including a 110-foot birdie at the last – to finish in third alongside Leishman on 11 under.
Smylie said: “To know that I have a job secured overseas now feels great. As each week goes on I feel like I’m getting competitively stronger, so to have the opportunity to play on the DP World Tour going into next year is a huge bonus.”
“Playing with Cam and Leish for the final round was a dream come true, as I’ve looked up to these guys since I was a kid. I’ve learnt so much just from being in their presence and to compete against them for the title was a real honour and a privilege.”
He added: “My short game was great, I definitely saved myself in that department. I was pretty average off the tee, but golf is a game of imperfection and today that was a sign of that.
“I saw my mum in the corner there, tearing up before I holed that last putt, so it was great to have her here. Everyone who has been on this journey with me know how hard I’ve worked to be here, and hopefully this is just the start of good things to come.”
For all the scores from the BMW Australian PGA Championship, click here.