Elvis Smylie secures inevitable breakthough at WA Open
Elvis Smylie – image Australian Golf Media
Elvis Smylie has promised for two years or so now to win an event on the PGA Tour of Australasia and today he confirmed his highly regarded golf game and potential with a playoff victory over South Australian Jak Carter in the West Australian Open at the Mandurah Golf Club south of Perth.
Smylie, a former Australian Boys Champion and already a golfer with six top-three finishes to his credit on the PGA Tour of Australasia, had yet to win in his professional career but a breakthrough was fast approaching and a 3rd place finish last week when leading into the final round in Kalgoorlie suggested his best form was approaching and so it would prove.
In the most horrendous conditions, Smylie outlasted Carter and the luckless West Australian and former winner, Curtis Luck, holing from two feet for birdie at the first extra hole of a playoff against Carter to win the first of what many believe will be the first of many victories in his professional career.
Smylie added to a great Sunday for Perth-based coach Ritchie Smith who had earlier seen one of his other charges, Hannah Green, win her 6th LPGA Tour title with a narrow in Korea.
Smylie joined Smith a year or so ago after much of his formative amateur and professional career under the guidance of highly respected Brisbane coach Ian Triggs.
Smylie, a tall left-hander from the Gold Coast, now takes the lead in the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
Carter had forced the playoff with a five-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole in wet and blustery conditions but then found the trees in the playoff and was unable to save par although, in the end, it was of little consequence after Smylie had hit a magnificent approach next to the hole.
Perth’s Curtis Luck, a former winner and runner-up in this event, finished 3rd and just one shot from the playoff but he will rue being made to putt through a sodden green from long range at the 16th hole, a task made all the more difficult by the need to clear the line of surface water before he putted.
Luck was left with an impossible task to determine the strength needed for the putt and eventually three-putted, the costly misfortune proving crucial in his chances of winning the event for the second occasion having won it in 2016 in a year in which he became the US Amateur and Asia Pacific Amateur Champion.
For 22 year old Smylie however the win appears to open the door for his already impressive professional career to blossom further.
The PGA Tour of Australasia now moves to South Australia for the first Webex event of the season ahead of the Queensland PGA Championship and the NSW Open.
