Elvis left the field behind: Smylie goes 25 under at Keperra Bowl
- Golf Australia photo
In Australia, Elvis Smylie won the prestigious Keperra Bowl in remarkable fashion. The left-handed Smylie, already the national junior champion and still just 18, not only went back-to-back but won by an astonishing 13 shots after a stunning 62 today.
Smylie closed out the men’s with a stunning 62 that was even better than his opening round of 64 and left him at 25-under par after his rounds of 64-71-66-62. Starting out with a five-shot lead, he obliterated the field with a 10-under round today that is his best ever; on the day, it was the best round in the men's field by six shots.
Fellow-Queenslanders Chris Crabtree and national amateur champion Jed Morgan were runners-up at 12-under par.
Smylie, the son of former tennis champion Liz Smylie, also won the Queensland Stroke Play Championship this year and is establishing himself as one of the best young talents in the country. He made the cut at the 2019 Australian Open and finished just outside the top 30, playing on an invitation.
Keperra is his happy place for now, having won in 2019 and 2020. "I just love coming back here every year," he said. "When we play Keperra Bowl it's always in really good nick. It was just a magical week this week. I'm really grateful."
Smylie knew early that he had it won, but he did not relent all day.
"I just wanted to get past 20 (under)," he said. "So at least have five-under for the day, but I knew Jed and Lawry were going to come strong at me. I tried to stick with my own game and it worked out really well. Not much went wrong today!"
Coming up the last, his playing partners were encouraging him to go even lower.
"It's great. Jed and Lawry were awesome. They were really supportive, saying 'keep going, keep going'. It's great to have guys like that pushing me on. I got to 10, which is my lowest score ever. I'm lucky that it worked out."
ABOUT THE
Keperra Bowl
72 hole stroke play championship with a cut
after 36 holes. Open to male players of all ages.
Conducted by Keperra Country Golf Club and Golf
Queensland.
View Complete Tournament Information