BMW Australian PGA's star-studded opening acts

They played a practice round at The Open in July and enjoyed a long lunch together last month in Korea. Now Adam Scott and Elvis Smylie will share quality time as one of the marquee pairings for Round 1 of the BMW Australian PGA Championship.

Defending champion Smylie grew up idolising the two-time Kirkwood Cup winner, the two generational talents to share centre stage with Kiwi No.1 and two-time PGA TOUR winner Ryan Fox from 6:10am AEST Thursday morning.

They will follow another superstar grouping in three-time champion Cameron Smith, 2023 winner Min Woo Lee and world No.30, giving local golf fans the perfect entrée to four days of world-class golf.

Chasing a “full circle” moment at the course where he played junior Pennants for Royal Queensland Golf Club, Scott arrives less frustrated with putting stats that plagued his season as Smylie seeks to start a second DP World Tour season at the tournament that launched his first.

Absent from last year’s championship, Scott is relishing being back in his morning breakfast café routine and as hungry as ever to win in his home state.

His resume on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia already boasts two Australian PGA, two Australian Masters and an Australian Open triumph in 2009, the 45-year-old acknowledging that beating the young guys is only going to get tougher.

“It’d be really special, certainly at this point in my career,” Scott said of a win at RQ.

“I feel like the chances have been kind of few and far between the last couple of years and I haven’t taken advantage of it when I’ve been there. To put myself in that position this weekend would be great.

“It’d be like a full circle kind of moment from being a junior champion here to being a PGA champion here and kind of put myself in some really great company being a three-time winner.”

Smylie’s return to Royal Queensland also closes the loop on a life-changing 12 months.

He had to stare down both Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman in the final group last year, an up-and-down from the front right bunker on the 72nd hole testament to his ability to execute under pressure.

With a deep field of international players he has rubbed shoulders with all year on the DP World Tour, Smylie admitted that going back-to-back represents an even tougher challenge.

“I mean, there’s going to be a little bit of nerves and excitement and adrenaline, but I think that’s all something that I’ll embrace,” said Smylie, who finished 23rd on the DP World Tour points list in his rookie year.

“It’s a privilege to feel that. Not many people have the opportunity to be able to defend a title and feel those emotions, so to be able to have that opportunity, I’m excited for it.”

Those excitement levels will have risen even higher when the draw came out Tuesday afternoon.

“I had the opportunity to have dinner with Adam in Korea and we sat down, had a really nice chat. I think 11, 12-year-old Elvis would be pinching himself for an opportunity like that,” said Smylie.

“Just to be able to pick his brain about certain things and to know that he’s looking out for me and he’s watching my progress, that’s pretty special.”

Scott has been a keen observer of Smylie’s progression from teenage professional to now an established player among world golf’s elite.

The Gold Coast 23-year-old is eyeing an international victory in 2026 but Scott wants to see him aim higher and join him on Geoff Ogilvy’s International team for the Presidents Cup in September.

“He’s looking great and the little bit of time I’ve got to spend with Elvis, I think he’s thinking about things the right way,” said Scott.

“I can tell his motivation to get better. He was at an event about 18 months ago, and he wasn’t in the event, but he was out there watching some of the best players. He was practising nearby and training. It was before the British Open and not many guys would have the thought to do that, but he just wants to learn and his progress has been quick.

“Another exciting prospect for us and another one who should be really focused on trying to get on the International Presidents Cup team next year.”

All four days of the BMW Australian PGA Championship will be broadcast live on both Channel Nine and Foxtel through Fox Sports and Kayo Sports from 11am-4pm AEST Thursday-Sunday.