As LIV Golf collapses, Aussie young gun Elvis Smylie is laughing all the way to the bank
The collapse of the LIV tour has left four Australian golfers facing an uncertain future.
But according to a former Aussie tour pro, uncertain doesn't necessarily mean bad.
With each of the four no doubt set to receive healthy contract payouts, former touring pro Mark Allen believes there is one clear standout in terms of whose career is best-placed to survive the collapse.
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"Elvis Smylie is the smartest kid in the room," Allen told Wide World of Sports.
"He'll get his contract paid out – I think all the players will – he did a deal with the (European PGA Tour) where he's exempt after winning the Australian PGA Championship ... and off he goes."
Elvis Smylie won on his LIV golf debut. Getty
Smylie, 24, only joined LIV at the start of this season, and immediately pocketed $42 million when he won on debut at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. He is one of several players to hold dual EPGAT-LIV membership, which requires them to play a minimum of six tournaments.
Players on the EPGAT are awarded 'Race to Dubai' points, and the top-10 players at season's end who do not already have PGA Tour membership earn their cards.
Because Smylie has never held a PGA Tour card, it's unlikely he'll face any of the same sanctions as his peers, although he might theoretically still be barred from playing for 12 months after his last LIV appearance for playing on an "unapproved" tour.
But given he's unlikely to play in enough events in 2026 to finish inside the top-10 in points, that's likely a moot point.
Should he want to earn his way onto the PGA Tour the 'normal' way through the Korn Ferry Tour, his inflated wallet would give him a freedom few others on the tour have - choice.
The Korn Ferry Tour is brutal. The tiny prize pools mean players are forced to grind week-in, week-out for prize pools so small a win might only buy you a few more months on the tour. It gives little time for recovery, refinement or meaningful practice. Injure yourself? You'd best hope it's not crippling, because no play equals no pay, and flights, accommodation and coaching doesn't pay for itself.
But with such a huge wallet, Smylie could pick and choose which events he wants to play, when he plays, ensure he's staying in comfortable accommodation when he does, and give himself enough time off in between to ensure he's bringing his A-game.
Three wins in a season on the Korn Ferry Tour also instantly earns a player their full PGA Tour card.
Lucas Herbert is another Aussie who might not mind LIV's collapse. Getty
Lucas Herbert is also a member of the European PGA Tour, and could earn his way in the same way. Herbert knows the rigours of the Korn Ferry Tour better than most, having earned his PGA Tour card by finishing inside the top-25 of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in 2021.
LIV's collapse will almost certainly mean the end of Marc Leishman's playing career. Allen said he'll likely retire comfortably back to Warrnambool to get burgled in Saturday club comps.
Cameron Smith is easily the most high-profile of the four Aussies, and his future is arguably under the biggest cloud.
He is not a member of the EPGAT, and might be forced to earn a return to the PGA Tour the hard way.
Cameron Smith's future is arguably the most uncertain. Getty
Smith declined an olive branch to return to the tour, and Allen – who spent 15 years playing on the Australasian, Asian and what's now the Korn Ferry Tour – believes the Tour has now "washed its hands" of him.
While Smith, and Leishman for that matter, could still elect to go down the Korn Ferry route, should they choose not to, it would be curtains.
"They've done well and they've probably set themselves up for life, but they're not going to be playing golf again - not at the same level on the PGA Tour unless they go back to the start," Allen, who is also one half of the Talk Birdie to Me podcast, said.
"Some of them might be able to wrangle a handful of sponsors' invites on the (EPGAT), or maybe they'll come back to Australia and they'll win the Australian PGA or the Australian Open and that'll work for them.
Marc Leishman is the least likely to continue his professional career. Getty
"Some of them might end up going to Asia, (but) I personally couldn't think of anything worse.
"At the end of my career, I was playing some tournaments in Asia - it was a disgrace, and that ended my career.
"I imagine those guys, after being at the pinnacle, that won't suit them. But a lot of the reason they did this is because they knew they'd never have to play golf ever again. Their lives are now set up.
"So as far as golf is concerned, they've got some decisions to make if they want to keep on playing. But as far as life is concerned, unless they've made some horrible investments along the way, they should all be right."
