Preparing for The Open at Royal Portrush | A Day in the Life w/ Elvis Smylie

From a morning coffee run to a session at his local gym, followed by some work at his home course, join us for a day in the life of Australian Tour Pro Elvis Smylie as he prepares for The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

What’s in the Bag of Elvis Smylie: https://www.titleist.com/tour/4089/elvis-smylie

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[Music] [Applause] [Music] talk to us about last season on the PJ tour of Australia. Going back to 2024, I felt like that was a year where I really did progress in terms of the results. Um, you know, going back to July, uh, qualifying for my first major championship at at Royal Trune at the Open, that was something really special. You know, I’ve been watching that tournament as a as a kid. You know, one of the the biggest tournaments that I’ve played up to date. And fortunately, I’m in that position again where I get to go and play another major championship. Yeah. Going going back to uh just after the British Open last year, which was in July. Uh that was in leadup to the Australian season starting which was in October. and I felt like my game has been going in a really good direction um from July to the start of the season. Then when I actually got to got to Perth in October, I was able to um have a really good finish right off the bat at the WAPGA. I had a chance on Sunday to um win my first professional victory, but unfortunately I just didn’t didn’t things didn’t quite go to plan. But then a week later at the WA Open um at Mandra uh I was able to piece everything together and get my first professional win. So to um to finally get over that hurdle and get over that line of um being in a position so many times to close out your first win and then to be able to do it is um it was a really cool feeling because I knew that all the work that I was doing in leadup to the event um was good stuff. So for the results to finally be, you know, a byproduct of all the hard work that I was doing was uh really good to see [Music] after the the WA Open, there was still a lot of events on the Aussie calendar for me to play. So I felt like I did a really good job at keeping that momentum going that I that I had in Perth. And then um it it led all the way through to the Australian PGA Championship which was at Royal Queensland in December. And um that’s one of the the pinnacle events on the Australian season and it has a a really strong field um being a co-sanction event with the European tour. So you’re getting really strong guys from Europe, but then you’re also getting guys like Cameron Smith, um Mark Leechman, Minu Lee coming down and playing as well. So, um, having the opportunity to go headto-head with those guys was really special, but, um, more importantly, the the relationship that I’ve got with Cam, um, it goes back a long way. So, 2019, I got awarded the Cameron Smith scholarship and I got to spend a week with him in, uh, Jacksonville, where he lives in Florida. Uh, just seeing what life was like, uh, you know, playing on on the biggest stage and playing on the the biggest tournaments. um he’s given me a lot of guidance and knowledge uh so far in my golfing career and then to be able to play in the final group with him on Sunday uh with him and Mark Leeman was was really special and uh coming down the stretch with him there was was really cool and to be able to to win the event and pip him was really cool. I mean he’s won it three times so it was time for me to win one. Elvis smiling is the BMW Australian PGA champion. [Music] I want to go outside. [Music] So, one drill I really like to do is I’d probably place about nine T’s. As you see this chipping green, there’s a lot of variety. There’s a little bit of slope in these greens. So, it’s a great opportunity for you to mix up different shots and different lies. And what I like to do is a bit of a completion drill. So, for example, there’s a tee down there in that little bowl that you see. And it might be to this this hole here. So, my goal would be to to hit it within about 5 ft. And then the next step is to try and move on to a a more advanced uh shot. So there’s nine nine T’s and the goal is to try and get through uh the nine shots in the least amount of shots as possible. So it’s like a completion drill and if you if you miss one that’s outside of 5 ft you generally have to go back to the previous T. So I’ve got um in degrees I’ve got 46, 50, 56 and 60. So both in the 46 and 50 degree I have an F grind which is more of a u I guess a neutral grind. The 46 and 50 I play the same way generally, but as I move up towards the 56 and 60, that’s where I start to maneuver the club a bit. 60° grind I really enjoy using because this T grind is the leading edge sits quite flat to the the ground. So when you’re in really tight conditions, I feel like it can pick the ball really well. So when I’m going to be playing in conditions like Scotland uh later in July at the Open, uh it’s going to be a really useful club this. Yeah. So the the one club that I usually make a bit of an adjustment with is a 60°. So as I said the T grind the leading edge sits quite flat to the ground and it’s quite a sharp edge. So when you’re chipping around areas like here where it’s quite grainy, it’s probably not the best wedge to use. So that’s where you use more of an M grind to where it has bit more of a rounder sole. Um it can get through the turf a little bit easier. Talk us through your putter and how you found yourself in this style of putter. Visually it’s it’s a lot different to the putter I used to use. So, I used to use a um a Newport putter where it was just like a singular blade and and this is a mallet style putter to where as you can see the shaft actually comes up from the middle of the putter. So, it actually doesn’t come up from the front of it. So, um it was something that I worked with the the Scotty Cameron team over in uh the UK to develop a putter where it was a little bit heavier as well than the putter I had before. a little bit more stability and um I just needed a bit more control than the putter I had beforehand. So um once I I saw this, it was visually a lot different to the one that I had before, but as soon as I started rolling with it, it um I got to hold a lot of parts and win a lot of tournaments. [Music] Club champs hitting in the fairway. Course record holders hit it long but wide. Southport’s home for you. Give us an insight into your your time here. Yeah, it’s awesome being back home at Southport. Um I first became a member here when I was 9 years old, so it’s always home for me whenever I’m here on the Gold Coast. I’m always out here playing holes in the afternoon with a mate like Lee. Um I’ve known Lee since I was about 11. We’ve grown up playing pennet golf together and uh he’s pretty good as well. He’s the raining club champ. So, uh, we always have friendly rivalries out here, and the reception that I’ve received from the members here as well is something that I really treasure. And the the amount of years I’ve been here, I’ve I’ve been able to make so many great relationships with all of them. So, it’s definitely my happy place. And it’s uh it’s really nice to be back. One up, Lee. It’s amazing. I’ve sort of come across Elvis, you know, 10 or 12 years ago when he turned up here at Southboard as a little young fella and he’s just grown and grown and grown and obviously a lot more success has come along the way. Never seen someone work so hard and and very dedicated to to what he does and for all of us at Southport it means a lot. You know, we’re very proud to have someone like Elvis represent the golf club on the world stage as well. So, yeah, we’re looking forward to what the future holds. I think as a club we feel like he can go all the way and and we’re right behind him along that journey as well. So, it’s a great experience to be part of. When you’re at home for the day and you’re you’re practicing, how do you like to spend most of your time? So, I always make sure I I finish with playing holes. So, I’ll probably putt for probably about like 20 minutes, 25 minutes just to get a feel for things, go have a bit of a chip and do those drills that I was talking to you guys about before and then about 3:00 hits, I would just go out and play. But the great thing that I like to do out on the course here is I sometimes play with a half set. So I’d come out here and play with, you know, uh, instead of using all 14 clubs, I might just use like even set of clubs. So four iron, six iron, eight iron, wedge, and then, you know, a driver or 3-wood. So I feel like I’m always being creative. I’m always shaping shots. So it’s never too one-dimensional out here, which I like. What did it mean to you to win the auto merit? Yeah, it was very special. It was a it was a goal that I set out at the start of the Australian season back in October last year. And um it’s a real marathon of a of a goal because you know that uh the order of merit champion is is rewarded to the person that plays the best not just over one tournament or two tournaments but over the calendar season. And that’s something that I did really well. So um I’ve joined a lot of great names on the the as the title holder and uh yeah as the the cherry on the top as well. It’s given me a lot of great opportunities to play in some really big events this year, including the Open Championship at uh Royal Port Rush. What are some of your goals you’ve got for the next 12 months? Mainly wanting to um you know compete and play as well as I can at Port Rush is something that I would really like to to tick off. Um I had the privilege to play at Royal Trune last year in the open championship. So I know um the the high level that is required to compete at an open championship and a major championship. It’s something that um I’m looking forward to having another opportunity doing. And um yeah, at the end of the day is also a great opportunity to to then earn a PJ tour card from the DP World Tour. If you finish inside the top 10 on the race to Dubai standings, you can get a card for the PGA Tour. So, um it’s a great uh great opportunity for that as well. I’ve left it in the jaws. Oh, no. Did that. That’s so bad. someone stitch you up big time. We know how important routine is. Do you want to talk us through your pre-shot routine? Yeah. So, the first thing that I do when I approach the ball is just check the lies. Um that’s the most important part because I feel like it dictates what kind of shot you want to play. So, being in the fairway, it’s pretty stock standard. But, um once I then walk behind the ball, once I’ve got my number and the club I’ve selected, then I I visualize uh what kind of shot shape I want to hit. um the green undulation on where I want to land the ball in relation to the slope. Um so for for this shot here, we got a front right flag. Um so I want to be a little bit past the hole to the left. So I know that a nicely struck Aine will do that. So visualizing just me stepping up and hitting that high strong fade for me, I like to shape the ball a little bit right to left. So um let’s see how we go. What are some of your future goals? Uh the Olympics is definitely a long-term goal of mine, but something that uh I’m wanting to achieve in the next year or two is is um you know, I really want to compete for a major. I feel like uh the fact that I’ve played myself uh into the open this year. Um I really feel like my games at a place to where I can compete against the top players in the world. And um then furthermore, I want to uh I want to try and make the President’s Cup team next year. So uh Jeff Oggov has just been announced as the the captain and I’ve fortunately played with Jeff a couple of times. So to be able to play under him and represent the uh the international shield will be uh very special. If you could pick one major to win, what major would that be? The Open. Yeah. just with just with its history, the things you have to go through in order to win an open championship is just something that is just incredibly difficult to achieve because you never know what Lynx golf can throw up at you. If you go back and watch open championships in the past, there’s always been something drastic that has happened in terms of like the weather changing and like there’s just so many variables that Lynx golf can throw up at you. So, I feel like if you can learn how to, you know, get through that and win, um, you really do deserve to become the champion golfer of the year. Great putt. Take that, eh? Definitely. Thanks, mate. Thanks for the day. Pleasure. Really appreciate it. It was good fun. Thanks. Tough.