With a name like Elvis, it is no wonder he can wow a crowd.

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Elvis Smylie made one of the biggest steps forward in his young professional golf career on Thursday at the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland with a -6 opening round that included a miraculous finish at his final hole.

Smylie, who is the son of Australian tennis great Liz Smylie, was in the greenside bunker at the par 5 ninth – he teed off on the tenth – for two and looked likely to make an up-and-down birdie.

He made birdie, but it was not an up-and-down.

With his third shot, the 22-year-old fatted his bunker shot into another bunker besides the green.

It appeared as if he would unravel.

But remarkably, Smylie dusted the sand off himself, walked to the next bunker and holed his next shot, for birdie.

“I technically didn’t touch the green and I made four, which is a good way to finish and lots of positives out of the day,” Smylie said with a beaming smile.

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As the morning groups wrapped up and descended into the clubhouse, it was Elvis who entered the building with the lead.

He sits one shot clear of Swiss Olympian Joel Girrbach, and two shots clear of a big pack that includes Australian big names Cameron Smith, Jason Day and Marc Leishman.

The Gold Coast resident has been one to watch in Australian golf for some time.

He was a highly-regarded junior and amateur, and picked up his first win as a professional at the WA Open last month.

The left-hander has already played in a major – he took part in this year’s Open Championship at Royal Troon after he earned a place at one of the 36-hole qualifying events – and is not shy to talk about his lofty goals.

“It’s great having all the Aussies back home and supporting the Australian tournaments. And it’s great to compete against them because ultimately I want to be in their shoes and what they’re doing in their career,” Smylie – who played three groups behind Smith, Day and defending champion Min Woo Lee – said.

“It’s great for me to be able to compare my game against theirs and see what areas I need to improve on.”

The Greg Norman Medal on Tuesday night was the first time Smylie had met Day, but he already knows Smith well.

In 2019, he was one of Smith’s scholarship recipients where he spent a week in the United States playing and practising with the major champion as well as attending a tournament to watch him in action.

Although, Smylie is now a colleague of Smith and other big names, he is not taking any chance to pick the brains of, or watch and learn from, the best for granted.

That is why he made a big career move 12 months ago.

Despite only being 21 at the time, Smylie felt like his game when in the ghetto.

Many in Australian golf felt like he stagnating.

He ventured to Europe in 2022 but missed the cut in all five DP World Tour events he played for the year.

His return home was not as fruitful as he would have liked, or expected.

A breakthrough victory remained elusive last year as he went close at The Players Series Victoria (tied second) and The National Tournament (third) on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

But unhappy with his progress, Smylie made the call to completely change is support team.

He joined the stable of Perth-based coach Ritchie Smith who boasts Min Woo and Minjee Lee as well as Hannah Green – three quarters of Australia’s Olympic team in Paris – among his pupils.

The change has paid dividends so far with improvements on the local tour last season, before starting the current season with a bang to sit third on the Order of Merit.

“I needed a clean slate and I feel like I’m really happy with what we’re doing all together,” Smylie said.

“They’re all here this week, so it’s great for everyone to be at the same tournament and we’re all working together really well. And yeah, my game’s gone from strength to strength ever since.”

Beyond a statement win this week, the carrots dangling in front of players on the Australasian tour are always on Smylie’s mind.

The Order of Merit winner each season gains a DP World Tour card – the two most recipients Kazuma Kobori and David Micheluzzi are in the field this week – as well as the chance to play The Open and The US Open next year.

Next week’s Australian Open also offers a pathway to the majors with three places in The Open on offer to the top three, not already exempt, finishers.

The opportunities are right in front of Smylie, but the time is now to prove that he belongs among the best – as many keen golf followers believe he does.