He may not be able to sing and is still working on gaining weight, but Australia’s golfing Elvis has captured the spotlight. “Someone actually asked me on the 18th tee at the PGA last week at Royal Queensland, can I sing?” Elvis Smylie recounts. “I just smiled and said, nowhere near as well as Elvis.” While he may not be Presley, Elvis Smylie’s star is rising. The Queenslander outplayed his mentor Cam Smith in a memorable final round at the Australian PGA on Sunday, securing one of the sport’s most coveted local titles just a year after his game was stagnating and his potential seemed unfulfilled.

Instead, following a change in coach and a renewed approach, Smylie has reason to be optimistic. The breakthrough was a significant milestone for the 22-year-old, long considered one of the best prospects in Australian golf, and his success was watched globally. Even tennis legend Ivan Lendl sent a congratulatory message from his home in the United States. “I’ve known Ivan for quite some time now; he loves his golf and was watching all the way from the States,” Smylie says.

Smylie’s victory has made him one of the stories of this week’s Australian Open in Melbourne, despite the attention demanded by a field that includes LIV golfers Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman, PGA Tour breakout Min Woo Lee, and Australia’s female luminaries Minjee Lee and Hannah Green. However, it’s not often an athlete—especially within the largely conservative world of golf—shares a moniker with rock ‘n’ roll royalty. Smylie was named after Presley by his parents Peter and Liz, who are themselves royalty in Australian tennis.

Elizabeth Smylie (née Sayers) won 28 WTA doubles titles, including four grand slams. Peter played three slams as a doubles player before becoming coach and husband to the non-Elvis love of his life. “My dad was a massive fan,” Smylie junior says. “And I actually don’t mind his music, from time to time.” Off the court, his mother’s fame in Australia was enhanced by a famous chewing gum advertisement in the early 1990s. “People that know my mum, she has a bit of a lisp, so whenever she says ‘long, lasting taste’ you can really hear the lisp coming out, so I give her heaps of rubbish about that,” says the doting son.

But eating has also become a focus for the left-hander, who has worked hard to try to put on weight despite a fast metabolism and the stress of tour life keeping him down at not much more than 71kg. “In order to have made the changes technically with my coach, Ritchie Smith, I’ve had to get stronger in the gym and put a bit more weight on, so for me it’s the chicken, rice, and veggies diet and just trying to eat as much as I can,” he says.

Smylie turned pro at 18 after showing early promise, but under long-time mentor Ian Triggs, his improvement stalled. His team approached Smith, the West Australian whose 10-golfer stable included the Lee siblings and Green. Smith says the hook-up was no sure thing. “I said, ‘no, I don’t want to do that, because I just don’t have the time,’ and then I thought, I really should do my due diligence,” Smith says. “Everyone was so highly impressed by him that I thought I should give this kid a chance.”

Then Smylie sent over tape. “It didn’t impress me,” says Smith, who maintains the view that the youngster turned professional too soon. But his ball striking and approach to the game did, and in their 12 months together, Smylie has refined a technique—and physical makeup—his coach believes was flawed. “He was all arms,” Smith says. “And I think, well, why isn’t his body doing something to support his arms?” Smylie broke through last month for his first PGA Tour of Australasia win at the WA Open. His title at the Australian PGA last Sunday confirms his progress, but he doesn’t see reason to celebrate yet.

“It’s been quick, and no alcohol. For me, I’ve been on my best behaviour. There’ll be a time to celebrate, but for now, I’m really looking forward to doing my best here,” he says. It’s a very un-Elvis response but one that could be expected from someone Smith describes as an “old soul.” “He’s also got great belief in himself, but it’s not outward belief, it’s not Min Woo [Lee confidence], it’s just quiet, unassuming.” Smylie sees where his coach is coming from, to a point. “I’d like to think of myself as someone that keeps their emotions intact a bit more, but—if you go back to Perth a couple weeks ago where I won for the first time—I let out quite a big roar when I won.”

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