Teenage amateur Elvis Smylie hoping to make an impact at Australian Open
Gold Coast amateur Elvis Smylie’s sharp come-from-behind win at the Australian Boys’ Amateur Championship has the teenager dreaming of being The King of the green at the Open.
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The world is full of Elvis impersonators yet only one authentic hip-swiveller from the Gold Coast who is out to rock the golf world.
Look no further than amateur Elvis Smylie, 17, should the leaderboard be all shook up at the Australian Open in Sydney from Thursday.
Yes, the lean leftie was named after “The King” but few realise he also unwittingly made Elvis Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla blush when he was only a toddler.
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Smylie is the best young left-hander in the country after a hot 63 at Southport Golf Club in April set up his come-from-behind win at the Australian Boys’ Amateur Championship.
The son of 1985 Wimbledon doubles tennis champion Liz Smylie owes his name to father Peter, the devoted Elvis fan in the family.
“‘Elvis’ started as a nickname when I was born and it just became my name,” young Smylie said before a practice round at The Australian Golf Club.
“Dad can’t help it … I think he knows every single Elvis lyric and they were the only songs on CD in the car when I was a kid.
“I mean I like the music too … Suspicious Minds would be my favourite of the Elvis songs.”
Presley may have been a closet golf nut because songs like House of Sand, Flip, Flop and Fly and Little Bit of Green have golf meanings that Smylie can relate to.
Am I Ready, a 1966 hit for Presley, is what the young swinger most wants to answer.
“Having mum and dad play tennis at a high level has definitely been helpful,” Smylie said.
“When you are young you want to make things happen really quickly but they reinforce patience and making sure you do all the ‘one-percenters’ so the hard work pays off in the longer run.
“I’ve probably grown 10cm over the last year, got stronger in the gym and worked harder than ever on my short game so I do feel my game is improving.
“I’ve been looking forward to this Australian Open for months and I’m lucky to have ‘Clayts’ (two-time Victorian Open winner Mike Clayton) as a caddie with all his knowledge.”
Greg Chalmers, the two-time Australian Open champion, tweeted “Love your work Elvis” after that breakthrough boys’ title so golf’s leftie cartel is in his corner.
Father Peter confessed his Elvis obsession began in his teens on a tennis tour in Japan when a coach played one classic Presley tape, Aloha from Hawaii, non-stop in the car.
“If I had my way, Elvis would play in blue suede shoes and a jumpsuit because golf needs colour,” Smylie senior said with a laugh.
“I’m really proud he’s taken his game to the next level over this past 12 months and is showing the calmness you need.”
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And what about the Priscilla moment?
“True story. Liz and I were in a lift at a Sydney hotel calling out ‘Elvis, come here right now!’ because he was playing around outside,” Smylie said.
“He must have been about three. At the same time, a lady with a baseball cap, glasses and her head down walked in to the back of the lift.
“It was only then I recognised her and she must have thought we were Elvis lunatics because she got out of the lift at the next stop pretty quickly.”
Originally published as Teenage amateur Elvis Smylie hoping to make an impact at Australian Open