Elvis Smylie has continued his remarkable rise in global golf, capturing the first LIV Golf title of 2026 with a calm and impressive performance under the lights in Riyadh.
The 23-year-old Queenslander produced a bogey-free final round to secure his maiden LIV victory in his first-ever LIV Golf event, adding another major highlight to his burgeoning resume following his breakthrough win at the 2024 Australian PGA Championship.
Carrying the confidence of that 2024 win at Royal Queensland, where he stared down idols like Cameron Smith, Smylie once again showed unwavering composure when it mattered most.
Jon Rahm mounted a fierce late charge with a series of birdies, but Smylie held firm and safely two-putted the 18th to seal a one-shot victory.
“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “I wanted to come here and make a statement. I wanted to prove that I’m one of the best here, and I feel like I did that.”
The win also lifted Ripper GC to the team title, underscoring Smylie’s rapidly growing influence within the all-Australian squad. For the young left-hander, the victory marks another important step in a career that is gaining extraordinary momentum.
“Playing under the lights was a completely different game,” he said. “I really tried to embrace every moment… it’s only possible from here.”
With an Australian PGA Championship and now a LIV Golf title under his belt, Smylie arrives at the LIV Adelaide event as one of the hottest names in Australian golf and a player many fans are eager to cheer on in person.
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