BRISBANE, Australia — Elvis Smylie from Australia clinched the title at the 54-hole Australian PGA tournament on Sunday, finishing with an impressive score of four-under 67. Smylie’s performance over the final round helped him secure a two-shot victory over his former mentor and fellow Australian golfer, Cameron Smith. This decisive win placed Smylie at a total score of 14-under 199, while Smith ended with a final round of two-under 69.
Mark Leishman and Anthony Quayle finished tied for third place at 11 under par in this event held at the par-71 Royal Queensland course. The tournament faced weather challenges, leading to the cancellation of the second round on Friday due to heavy rain and an unplayable course. As a result, the event was reduced to just 54 holes, combining the Australasian PGA and European Tour formats.
Five years prior, Smylie, whose mother is former Australian tennis player Liz Smylie, benefited from the Cameron Smith Scholarship, which allowed him to live and train as a PGA Tour professional at Smith’s residence in Florida. Now at 22 years old, Smylie began the final round tied for the lead at 10 under par with Smith.
Cameron Smith, who won the British Open in 2022 at St. Andrews and previously dominated the Australian PGA with victories in 2017, 2018, and 2022, engaged in a fierce contest against Smylie. The two competitors exchanged birdies, but a significant turning point occurred at the sixth hole: Smylie made a birdie, while Smith struggled with a bogey. After a solid first round of 65, Smylie established a strong lead with four birdies in his opening seven holes, turning at 14 under after an outward nine of 32.
Despite facing pressure, Smylie showcased impressive skill managing challenging situations at the 10th and 12th holes, deftly using his three wood to navigate tricky lies and reach the greens. Meanwhile, Smith’s play became a bit inconsistent after a bogey on the ninth, leading him back to a tie in second place at 11 under.
Things intensified as Quayle finished with an impressive eight-under 63, grabbing an early lead at 11 under. Smith managed to recover from earlier setbacks but faced another bogey on the par-4 14th, which brought him back to 10 under.
The tension heightened at the par-5 15th hole when Smylie hit his second shot far left of the green but managed to rescue a par. With Smith sinking a birdie on the same hole, he closed the gap to three shots. As the final holes approached, Smith cut Smylie’s lead to two with a birdie at the par-3 17th, earning a warm reception from the crowd in what is traditionally known as the tournament’s party hole. Smylie’s chance at an answering birdie slid past the hole.
On the 18th hole, Smylie faced a challenging shot into light rough, with a tree obstructing his view of the green from 186 meters away. However, he skillfully maneuvered his shot around the tree into a greenside bunker. From there, he executed a calm and precise play from the sand, tapping in for par and concluding the round with an impressive streak of 11 consecutive pars. Smylie’s back nine included six successful recoveries from hazardous positions, demonstrating his resilience under pressure.
The Australian PGA marks the commencement of the European Tour 2025 season. Following this event, many players will head to Melbourne for the Australian Open, which will run simultaneously with the Women’s Australian Open at the renowned sandbelt courses, Kingston Heath and Victoria.