Smith upstaged by young Aussie at PGA

“Respect” only went so far for Elvis Smylie on Sunday at Royal Queensland as he upstaged his “role model” Cam Smith to win the Australian PGA Championship.

The pair started the final round in the rain-shortened 54-hole event in a share of the lead at 10-under, and many expected three-time tournament champion Smith to dominate proceedings and lift the Joe Kirkwood Cup for a fourth time.

However, 22-year-old Smylie, the son of Australian tennis great Liz Smylie, played near-faultless golf to shoot a final bogey-free round of four-under 67 to finish at 14-under and win by two strokes from Smith, who closed the tournament with a two-under 69.

It was left-hander Smylie’s second win of the PGA Tour of Australasia season after his victory at the WA Open last month.

And with the Australian PGA event being co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, Smylie – a former holder of a Cameron Smith Scholarship – has now earnt a two-year exemption on the predominantly European tour.

“It’s a dream come true,” Smylie said.

“I just told myself to find a way of getting around and doing my best, executing every shot as well as I can.

“I know that a lot of people were rooting for Cam today, and I fully understand that, but I wanted to make sure that I ... let everyone know that I’m here to win this tournament.

“I have so much respect for Cam, and what he’s done for Australian golf, what he continues to do for Australian golf, and he’s been a great role model of mine for a very long time.”

Smith was left to lament three bogeys on the front nine.

“For two of them to be three-putts and decent shots into the green, it just pisses me off more than anything else, but all in all, it was a good day,” the 2022 British Open champion said.

“Helping Elvis out along the way is really cool. He had such a great round. He putted unbelievably. It was awesome to watch.”

Anthony Quayle, who had a final round of 63, and Marc Leishman (69), finished a shot further back at 11-under.

Victorian David Micheluzzi placed fifth at 10-under, with fellow Australian Cameron Davis and Spain’s Angel Ayora, who had a final round of seven-under 64, finished at nine-under

Tournament drawcard Jason Day finished the tournament – his first in Australia in seven years – at eight-under after a Sunday round of 69.

“I definitely left a lot of shots out there, unfortunately, this week,” the former world No.1 said.

“That’s disappointing because if I just would have capitalised on those shots, I would have definitely been around the lead, but that’s good information … in just trying to sharpen it up a little bit.”

Day was full of praise for Smylie, who he only met for the first time two days before the tournament.

“It’ll just breed confidence, knowing that he can do that,” the 2015 US PGA champion said of Smylie.

Leishman, who played in the final group with Smylie and Smith, was also full of admiration for the Gold Coast product.

“Elvis played great,” Leishman said,

“It was a big day for him. His wedge play was good, he putted great ... he took his medicine when he had to.

“He just made the right decisions and hit the right shots which is what you have to do to win.”