LIV Golf’s youth movement highlighted by Smylie’s debut win

Elvis Smylie's stunning debut victory at ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh last week sent a strong message to the rest of the league. His win proved that youth isn't just knocking on the door; it's kicking it down.

The 23-year-old Australian, fresh off joining Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC, fired a bogey-free, final-round 8-under 64 under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club with one of the best players in the world in Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm breathing down his neck. The win, which was his first professional win outside Australia, made him the second-youngest individual champion in LIV Golf history, behind only Eugenio Chacarra, who was 21 when he won in 2022. 

Smylie also powered Ripper GC to the team title, capping a dream debut with a champagne shower and a "shoey" alongside his teammates. 

Smylie’s performance resonated deeply with LIV Golf’s rising generation of young talent, who see it as a clear signal that the league's rising stars are not only ready to compete but primed to win now. David Puig, one of the league’s most talented young players, played alongside Smylie in the third round and couldn't help but be impressed.

"His performance last week was incredible," Puig said. "I got to play with him on Friday, and Sergio [Garcia] played with us as well. He played incredible. I tried my hardest to beat him, and he just kept making birdies and playing awesome golf. Maybe it means that the youngsters are hopefully ready to win a little more. It's just a great inspiration for me and probably for those two guys (Fireballs GC teammates Josele Ballester and Luis Masaveu) as well, to know that in a way we're ready to win and hopefully beat the older players more often." 

Ballester, who came agonizingly close to his own breakthrough victory late last year with a strong showing in Chicago, echoed Puig’s sentiment, viewing Smylie's triumph as a turning point. 

"Seeing Elvis win last week was definitely inspirational," Ballester said. "I got my chance in Chicago. I believe all the youngsters here have the ability to win on this stage. I think it's a good sign for the league that young guys like us can start being in contention more often and eventually win like Elvis did. I can’t wait to be in contention more often and hopefully close out in a better way."  

Masaveu rounded out the chorus of encouragement, emphasizing the proof-of-concept aspect of Smylie’s win. 

"It was obviously an incredible performance for him," Masaveu said.  “It's great that he did that great performance and was able to hold off Jon Rahm at the end. It shows that we can do it, and we just have to go out there and do it.”

Veteran Talor Gooch, who played alongside Smylie in the final round and finished 12th, offered a perspective from the other side of the generational divide, praising the young Australian while acknowledging the broader shift in the game. 

"What an incredible golfer and such a good kid," the new Smash GC captain said. "Twyenty-three years old is crazy to think about. I was not nearly as mature as he is when I was 23 and not nearly as good of a golfer as he is.

"It's awesome seeing such young great golfers. It's incredible, since I've turned pro, how much better these dudes are when they turn pro than what we were 10 years ago when we turned -- it's unbelievable the shift in that. Obviously, Puig and (Caleb) Surratt and McKibbin and these dudes out here are so good at such a young age; it's overly impressive. And motivating, too. I don't want to lose to a kid that wasn't born in, like, significant life events... It's motivating. You don't want to lose to this young pup. It's definitely driving and motivating to want to beat them, but it's also awesome to see, and you cheer hard for them, too. You see how hard they work out here." 

Smylie, speaking in the Ripper GC pre-tournament presser ahead of LIV Golf Adelaide, reflected on the win with characteristic humility, describing the respect he's earned from his peers as a key takeaway from his maiden LIV Golf victory. 

"Not necessarily thinking of it as less pressure or more pressure," Smylie said. "I think the one thing that I've appreciated that I continued to see throughout last week is I felt like I've gained the respect of each player on the tour, which is something that means quite a lot to me. Going into a new environment, you don't really know what to expect, so you want to feel like you're well respected by your competitors, and that's something that meant a lot to me. In terms of what I want to feel moving forward ... I feel like I can learn a lot from these guys up here, and I'm in an environment to do that." 

Smylie's breakthrough arrives at a pivotal moment for LIV Golf, now in its expanded 72-hole format and awarding Official World Golf Ranking points for the first time, propelling Smylie from 134th to 77th in the OWGR (a 57-spot leap). With the league playing arguably its biggest event in Adelaide this week, the young players are riding a wave of momentum and inspiration. 

Veterans beware: The youngsters are coming, and they're not waiting their turn anymore.