Branden Grace started in a hurry on Saturday on his way to a closing eight-under-par 64 in the fourth and final round of the opening event of the new LIV Golf season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Starting on the par-five fifth hole at the Riyadh Golf Club – despite moving to a 72-hole stroke play format and getting official world ranking points, LIV hasn’t ditched the shotgun start – Grace eagled his first hole. He picked up six more birdies without dropping a shot in the final round as he finished in a share of ninth.

The 23-year-old Australian Elvis Smylie produced four sizzling rounds to win in his LIV Golf debut. He capped off his impressive first week under the lights of Riyadh shooting a final-round bogey-free eight-under 64 on Saturday to hold off a hard-charging Jon Rahm by one stroke. He also led the Rippers to the team title, as the Aussies swept both trophies going into their biggest tournament of the season at next week’s LIV Golf Adelaide.

Smylie’s 24-under-par total gave him the one-stroke edge over Rahm, and he was three clear of Peter Uihlein in third.

Grace shared ninth – taking the last world ranking points on offer down to just 10th place in LIV events – with Smylie’s teammate Lucas Herbert and Byeong Hun An of Korea at 17-under-par for the tournament.

Charl Schwartzel finished on 11-under after his closing three-under 69 for a share of 30th in the 57-man field. Louis Oosthuizen was also in a share of 30th after he too signed off with a 69. Dean Burmester finished with a fine six-under 66 to somewhat atone for his two over-par scores in the second and third rounds. He was in a share of 51st on five-under.

The newly-renamed all-South African Southern Guards GC – formerly Stinger GC – finished on 44-under in the team contest in a share of eighth place.