Travis Smyth survives epic playoff to win in Auckland
Travis Smyth – survives a six-hole playoff for third professional win – image PGA of Australia
31-year-old Travis Smyth, a professional for nine years, has only won twice in that time until, that is, a 6th hole playoff victory over South Australian Jack Thomson at this week’s ISPS Handa Australasia Championship will take his standing in the game to a highest ever level.
Not only does the win improve his world ranking to a personal best just outside the top 200, but it earns him full status on the Japan Tour in addition to his already assured PGA Tour of Australasia standing, and now atop the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit for this season, he is likely to secure DP World Tour status for next season courtesy of his standing on the Australasian Tour.
It was, therefore, a great reward for a golfer who has been a regular money earner in Asia and Australasia throughout his career, his recent performances in events such as the New Zealand PGA Championship and the New Zealand Open, where he recorded top five finishes in both, suggesting that a win was close at hand.
To achieve that breakthrough, however, he was forced to survive a final round battle in which as many as ten players could have won the event in the last nine holes.
After beginning the final round three behind the lead of Ryan Peake and in a share of 4th place, Smyth took a while to warm up, but when he did, the birdies flowed, including, very importantly, birdies at the final two holes to draw level with Thomson, who had set the mark with a final round of 64.
The playoff pair finished one ahead of surprise packet, Justin De Los Santos, whose only win as a professional came in a secondary event in Japan seven years ago, but an outward nine of 31 saw him take the lead into the back nine.
But with so many golfers in the hunt, it was likely that he would be passed, and when Thomson finished his round of 64 over an hour before the final group there were still many with a chance.
Smyth’s birdies at the final two holes saw him force the playoff with Thomson and the pair headed for the first of what would be six playoff holes to decide the champion.
After three times playing the par 5 18th, the hole was repositioned to provide a point of difference, but still the pair could not be separated, and so they headed to the reachable par 4 3rd hole, which also finished close to the clubhouse.
Smyth eventually sealed the deal with a two-putt birdie from 70 feet or so after driving the green, and when Thomson was unable to hole a 12-foot putt it was all over.
Smyth now has an embarrassment of choices for his playing future, likely DP World Tour status, Japan Tour status, and his current Australasian and Asian Tour standing, a problem he is no doubt delighted to have.
