RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ripper GC rookie Elvis Smylie held off a hard-charging Jon Rahm to claim victory at ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh in his first-ever LIV Golf start.
The performance from Smylie was incredibly impressive as he made some fantastic shots down the stretch and handled the pressure with the poise of a veteran. The 23-year-old shot a final-round 64 to finish the tournament at 24-under, one shot ahead of Rahm. He’s the first player to win in his LIV Golf debut since Henrik Stenson won LIV Golf Bedminster in 2022.
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“It’s a dream come true,” Smylie said. “I really didn’t know what to expect this week. Playing at night is obviously a whole different ballgame out here.
“I wanted to come out here and make a statement. I wanted to prove that I’m one of the best out here, and I feel like I’ve done that, and it’s only up from here.”