Rising star Elvis Smylie is set to forgo his pursuit of a PGA Tour card and join all-Australian LIV Golf outfit GC Rippers alongside 2022 British Open champion Cameron Smith.
The 23-year-old Queenslander is reportedly one of two golfers to make the switch to the big-money breakaway league, with Belgian world No.57 Thomas Detry also signing on.
LIV, which opens its season in Saudi Arabia in February, recently suffered a huge blow when five-time major champion Brooks Koepka departed last month.
Smylie hit the headlines when he won the 2024 Australian PGA Championship, shooting a final round 67 to hold off former world No.2 Smith by two strokes.
Ranked world No.127, Smylie also finished 23rd in the Race to Dubai standings in his rookie DP World Tour season last year, with the top 10 earning PGA Tour cards.
But according to a report in The Times, Smylie has instead opted for a multi-million payday to join Smith, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert at LIV, replacing Matt Jones in the four-man line-up.
A two-time Australian Open champion, 45-year-old Jones hasn't given up on remaining on the LIV tour and is one of 11 Australians nominated for the promotions event in Florida this week, where three players out of 80 will earn status for the 2026 season.
The son of former tennis doubles star Liz, Smylie was paired with Smith during the opening two rounds of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne last month.
The long-hitting left-hander shared the lead with Kiwi Ryan Fox after the opening round, and finished tied for eighth ahead of megastar Rory McIlroy.
He and LIV Golf are yet to make any comment about the signing.
Detry became the first Belgian to win a PGA Tour event when he swept to victory in the Phoenix Open last year.
The 32-year-old is set to play alongside countryman Thomas Pieters in the 4Aces franchise, captained by American Dustin Johnson.
LIV, which will play its popular Australian leg in Adelaide from February 14-16, is switching from 54-hole tournaments to a traditional 72-hole format, as part of its long-running bid to gain Official World Golf Ranking points.
