Held at Optus Stadium in Perth on Thursday night, Smith was named Coach of the Year ahead of WA men’s cricket coach, Adam Voges and WA Institute of Sport Swimming Head Coach, Ben Higson.

Nominated twice previously, Smith was named Coach of the Year in 2021 and received the honour again after a year in which he had three players represent Australia at the Paris Olympic Games, guided Hannah Green to three wins on the LPGA Tour and saw Elvis Smylie win both the WA Open and BMW Australian PGA Championship.

Named PGA National Coach of the Year – High Performance at the PGA Awards in November for a third time, Smith’s stable continues to grow and flourish.

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He has coached both Green and Minjee Lee since they were just 12 years of age, Minjee’s younger brother Min Woo making it three out of four Smith athletes wearing the green and gold for the Australian golf team in Paris.

“I’ve known Richie since I was 12 years old, since I first got into the junior squad for the Interstate Matches,” said Minjee after her third Olympic selection.

“Obviously he’s got great coaching skills, but he also knows us inside out so he knows exactly what to say when we need to hear it or words of encouragement or when we’re doing well.

“He just knows how to keep us grounded as well.

“It just shows how good his relationship is with all of us, having three out of the four in the Olympic team.”

Green enjoyed one of the greatest years by an Australian on the LPGA Tour in 2024 and finished just one shot out of a playoff for a medal at the Olympic Games.

An influential figure on WA golf for more than a decade, Smith’s reach continues to grow.

He and his team put the finishing touches to Queenslander Elvis Smylie that has already yielded a DP World Tour card and he is currently working on resurrecting the career of Victorian Su Oh.