Elvis Smiley experiences the exhilaration of smoking a ball along with his driver off the green on the BMW Golf Cup Nationwide Ultimate.
HE is perhaps the reigning Australian PGA champion, one of the thrilling gamers in world golf, however till Nick O’Hern confirmed him how, Elvis Smylie had by no means hit a driver from a fairway.
The 2 professionals, shut associates since O’Hern started providing recommendation to the 23-year-old Gold Coaster a yr in the past, have been taking part in collectively in a sponsors’ group at Sanctuary Cove in October as a part of this yr’s BMW Golf Cup Nationwide Ultimate.
Starting the powerful Pines course from the tenth gap, Smylie was already 5 beneath par when he positioned his drive 240m from the inexperienced on the 472m par 5 third gap.
Smylie advised O’Hern: “I’m unsure I can get there with a three-wood into this wind.”
“Hit your driver off the deck!” O’Hern suggested.
“I’ve by no means completed that,” Smylie replied. “Gamers on the DP World Tour by no means hit driver off the deck. They hit three-wood and are ready to only depart it brief.”
Smylie, who hits the ball with a uncommon purity, then took his three-wood and performed an impressive shot to the centre of the inexperienced, earlier than stroking a cushty two putts for his sixth birdie of the morning.
However O’Hern didn’t quit. He advised Smylie hitting the driving force from the green was a talent he ought to develop – one which may someday win him a match.
And after they reached the 311m par 4 sixth gap – their fifteenth – O’Hern tossed his ball onto the turf, took his driver and, with out the advantage of a tee, launched a superbly formed drive that landed 20m wanting the inexperienced.
Smylie answered the problem, dropped his personal ball onto the tee and arrange along with his driver. Heeding O’Hern’s recommendation to deal with the transition of his backswing to a ahead movement, Smylie struck the ball completely and watched because it soared previous O’Hern’s Titleist No 3 and got here to relaxation on the perimeter of the inexperienced.
He performed his driver off the deck once more on the 526m par 5 ninth, his remaining gap of the day – one other majestic blow that travelled practically 280m and immediately made him a convert.
O’Hern advised him: “It’s an amazing weapon to have in your artillery. It’s a shot that you simply’ll want someday and now you understand you’ve obtained it.”
