Expectations grow for Rippers GC in Adelaide
Elvis Smylie and Cam Smith enjoying their Tuesday Media appearance
LIV Golf returns to Australia this week with the 4th staging of the LIV Golf Adelaide event at the Grange Golf Club, where the Australian Ripper GC team not only takes the role as the sentimental favourites but arguably the favourites to win the title.
Off the back of Elvis Smylie’s impressive debut win in Riyadh just five days ago, Smylie, Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert will look to ride the momentum of their team win in Riyadh, along with the local support, to challenge again for yet another team title, having won so convincingly just a few days ago.
To date, the Ripper side or any of their individuals have recorded only one podium finish in either competition in the three previous stagings of the event in Adelaide, but there is every indication that might improve this week. Cam Smith finished 3rd in the individual 2023, and the Ripper Team won in 2024.
The Rippers’ captain, Cam Smith, perhaps summed up the feelings of all when facing the press on Tuesday.
“Yeah, I mean, I think we all just can’t wait to get started. I think this is our biggest week of the year, particularly for us.
“It feels like it’s the league’s biggest event. Feels like everyone wants to play well here. Excited to get the week started.
“I think it’s our biggest week. It’s the team’s biggest week. We all have so many commitments this week.
“It’s draining, but it’s what we expect. We know that we have to deal with it. We’ve been here plenty of times before now. It is Elvis’s first time around, and I feel like the last couple of years, especially, we’ve done a better job of managing the commitments and the outside stuff, so we’re ready to play on Thursday.
“We’re all prepped for it. We’re playing great golf. We’re all playing confidently. It’s nice for Elvis to come out here and immediately shine like he did last week.”
Smylie appeared very much at home in his role as the team’s hottest player at present and is excited by what lies ahead in front of home fans, but, in his usual style, is keeping a lid on things.
“I think the important thing for me personally, and I think from the team’s perspective, is just not get too complacent with what we achieved last week, which was something significant.
“I think we now want to look forward and look for the next mountain to climb, and I think the next mountain is climbing Adelaide, and achieving the team win at home would be incredibly special. I think we’ve got a really good shot. We’re all in great form, and the course is in great condition, and we’re all feeling really confident.
“I think the one thing that I’ve appreciated that I continued to see throughout last week is that I feel like I’ve gained the respect of each player on the tour, which is something that means quite a lot to me. Going into a new environment, you don’t really know what to expect, so you want to feel like you’re well-respected by your competitors, and that’s something that meant a lot to me.”
With the introduction of world rankings or LIV Golf events last week for the first time, Smylie made a huge jump in world rankings last week from 134th to now 77th, and the prospect of another win moving him close to the top 50 in the world is clearly at the forefront of his thinking, especially given the benefit a place in the top 50 provides.
“Yeah, definitely top 50 in the world means that you get in all four majors, which I’m very close to achieving, so it’s great that we do get recognition, as Cam says. At the end of the day, good golf takes care of itself, and yeah, try and win a few more times.
“Ultimately, the Masters is something that’s on my mind now. That’s a conversation that I can start to have, and that is fuel to the fire for me. Let’s see what happens these next few weeks.”
The event begins on Thursday and, for the first time in Adelaide, will be played over 72 holes.
