A T53 finish today at the Heritage Classic in outer Melbourne ensured Smylie had enough points to secure the 2024/25 title with one tournament remaining.

It guarantees the 22-year-old Queenslander a host of rewards including a berth in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July, his second appearance in as many years at the sport’s oldest major.

He’s only the fourth lefthander to win the OOM title, following on from Richard Green (2004), Nick O’Hern (2006) and Greg Chalmers (2011, 2014).

“This is pretty special,” Smylie said after receiving his Order of Merit medal.

“It’s a goal that I set out at the start of the season last October and it’s an honour to win the title and the opportunities that it comes with.”

Smylie’s surge to the top of the Order of Merit standings started with a third place in his season debut at the CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil and Logistics at Kalgoorlie Golf Course.

He then secured the first title of his career at the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open, beating Jak Carter in a sudden-death playoff on a windy afternoon at Mandurah Country Club.

“The last round at the WA Open, when everything was going south with the weather, I felt like I really did a good job with keeping my composure,” he said.

“I hung in there and I got the job done and then that was probably the turning point for everything to fall into place the way it has.”

The big Order of Merit points came across the Aussie majors fortnight, his victory at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club, which also earned Smylie a coveted DP World Tour card, followed by a tie for fifth at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open on the Melbourne Sandbelt.

He picked up another top-10 finish at the NZ Open presented by Sky Sport.

“As soon as I won at RQ, I’m like ‘right, I’m in the box seat. So let’s just keep going’,” he said.

“It’s starting to sink in now that I’ve achieved what I set out to do, which is cool.”

As the Order of Merit champion, Smylie also receives a place in the final stage of PGA TOUR Qualifying School, although he has sights on gaining PGA TOUR status for 2026 without taking that route.

“So my goal now shifts to the European Tour and focusing on trying to finish in the top-10 on the Order of Merit there to try and get a PGA TOUR card in America,” Smylie said.

“That’s my main focus now, but there’s a couple other goals that I’ll have a look at that with my team.”

His next events will come in China on the DP World Tour in April.

PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relationships Nick Dastey said: “Our congratulations go to Elvis on becoming a first-time Order of Merit champion on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

“Starting from our Western Australia swing, he has had an outstanding season, highlighted by his great win at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.

“With one tournament remaining, there are still plenty of rewards up for grabs for our leading professionals on our Order of Merit including the much sought after three DP World Tour cards for 2025/26.

“We’re looking forward to a great season finale at The National Tournament next week.”

Smylie’s spectacular season has also seen his Official World Golf Ranking climb from No.1119 prior to the WA PGA Championship to just outside the top-200.

Previous Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia OOM champions include Greg Norman (six times), Bob Shearer and Peter Senior (four times), Craig Parry (three times) and Adam Scott (twice).

Elvis Smylie 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia results

3rd CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil and Logistics

1st Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open

T8th Webex Players Series South Australia

5th Queensland PGA Championship

T24th Ford NSW Open

1st BMW Australian PGA Championship

5th ISPS HANDA Australian Open

T8th NZ Open presented by Sky Sports

T53rd Heritage Classic

Last 10 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit champions

2024/25 Elvis Smylie (Qld)

2023/24 Kazuma Kobori (NZ)

2022/23 David Micheluzzi (Vic)

2021/22 Jed Morgan (Qld)

2020/21 Brad Kennedy (Qld)

2019 Ryan Fox (NZ)

2018 Jake McLeod (Qld)

2017 Brett Rumford (WA)

2016 Matt Griffin (Vic)

2015 Nathan Holman (Vic)