Elvis Smylie narrowly held off Jon Rahm in the closing stages of LIV Golf Riyadh, the league’s 2026 season opener and first-ever 72-hole event. Smylie fired a 8-under 64 at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia on Saturday to finish the week at 24 under and claim the victory by one shot over Rahm, who shot 63 in the final round.
“It’s a dream come true,” Smylie said. “I really didn’t know what to expect this week. Playing at night is obviously a whole different ballgame out here. I wanted to come out here and make a statement. I wanted to prove that I’m one of the best out here, and I feel like I’ve done that, and it’s only up from here.”
Elvis Smylie of Ripper GC poses for a photo with the trophy after winning the final round on day four of LIV Golf Riyadh at Riyadh Golf Club on February 07, 2026 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Smylie, a 23-year-old from Australia, became the first player to win in his LIV Golf debut since Henrik Stenson won in Bedminster in 2022. It’s Smylie’s third victory as a pro, having won twice before on the PGA Tour of Australasia, including the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship.
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Rahm made four straight birdies coming down the stretch to put some serious pressure on Smylie, who needed a par on the last to secure the win. Both players were bogey-free in the final round. Smylie’s team, Ripper GC, also left Riyadh with a victory, shooting 69 under over the four days to finish three shots clear of Torque GC. Ripper GC captain Cam Smith finished tied for 13th.
Jon Rahm of Legion XIII and his caddie walk onto the 12th green on day three of LIV Golf Riyadh at Riyadh Golf Club on February 06, 2026 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson ended the week tied for 17th at 14 under while Joaquin Niemann — who won five times on LIV last year — was one shot behind them. The circuit now heads to The Grange Golf Club in Australia for LIV Golf Adelaide, which will begin Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LIV Golf season opener: Elvis Smylie holds off Jon Rahm in Riyadh
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