Mike Hendry and Travis Smyth Open Championship bound
L-R Bio Kim Korea, Taichi Ko, Travis Smyth and Mike Hendry – photo Paul Lakatos
New Zealand’s Mike Hendry and NSW golfer Travis Smyth have played their way into the 2023 Open Championship courtesy of their finishes inside the top four at the Asian Tour’s weather reduced (54 holes) World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club this weekend.
The leading four players not otherwise exempt into the Open Championship earn their right to a start at Royal Liverpool in July, Hendry finishing runner-up in the event behind Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho while Smyth continued his financially rewarding ways on the Asian Tour by finishing alone in 3rd place.
For Kho the victory in his rookie season on the Asian Tour saw him become the first player from Hong Kong to win an Asian Tour event.
Kho will also become the first Hong Kong Chinese player to compete in the game’s oldest and most prestigious Major.
Bio Kim who tied for 4th in this week’s event earns the Open Championship final spot from this event as a result of his superior world ranking to the man he shared 4th place with, Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines.
Hendry earned US$110,000 for his finish while Smyth picked up a cheque for US$63,000.
Hendry was a tournament invitation to the event and his great week continues a run of form which has seen him win the Vic Open, finish 6th at the New Zealand Open and 4th at the NZPGA Championship in recent weeks.
Smyth has also been on a good run of late, finishing inside the top ten in now three of five Asian Tour starts this season.
