GOLF: Cam Smith's Ripper GC adds Elvis Smylie to all-Aussie team

Elvis Smylie has joined the all-Australian Ripper GC for LIV Golf's 2026 season, the team announced Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Smylie will play alongside team captain Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, and Lucas Herbert, taking the spot of Matt Jones.

Ripper GC finished ninth in the team standings in 2025, claiming victory in Miami in April and recording three other top-three finishes in 14 regular-season events. Individually, Leishman earned one win and finished 13th in the player standings, Herbert was 15th, Smith 18th, and Jones 40th.

"Growing up in Australia, you understand what golf means back home — the history, the mateship, and the pride that comes with representing your country," Smylie said. "To join Ripper GC, led by my long-term mentor, Cam Smith, at a time when Australian golf is growing the way it is, means a lot to me. I'm proud to be part of something that embodies where the game has been, and where it's going next."

Currently ranked No. 125 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Smylie made two of four cuts in his brief PGA Tour career, earning $76,605. He also claimed the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship by edging three-time event winner Smith by two strokes.

"Signing Elvis is a huge moment, not just for Ripper GC, but for Australian golf," Smith said. "He represents the next wave of Australian talent at a time when the sport is absolutely booming back home. Elvis has already shown he can win under pressure, compete against world-class fields, and perform on big stages."

Smylie is the son of former professional tennis player Liz Smylie, who won four Grand Slam titles — one in women’s doubles and three in mixed doubles — and earned a bronze medal in women’s doubles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Ripper GC will have a home match of sorts in Australia at the LIV Golf Adelaide, set for Feb. 12-15 at The Grange Golf Club.

—Field Level Media/Reuters