Travis Smyth in action today – photo Paul Lakatos
Wollongong’s Travis Smyth faces the most crucial day in his professional career on Sunday when he takes a narrow lead into the final round of the International Series event at Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort near Newcastle in England.
Smyth is confident he can register a maiden Asian Tour success after taking the third-round lead in the International Series England after signing for a superb five-under-par 66 today.
He has certainly chosen a great event to make a break through if he is able to do so as the tournament carries of purse of US$2 million, one of the highest purses ever on a standalone Asian Tour event where the winner will earn US$360,000.
Also important is that the leading two players this week and not otherwise exempt will earn a place in the elite field for next week’s US$25 million Liv International , as will the leading three players not otherwise exempt from the International Series Order of Merit, from the International Series Thailand in March through to this week.
The Australian, 27, topped the leaderboard on eight under par at Slaley Hall Hotel, in an event that marks the Asian Tour’s debut in the UK.
He leads by a shot from Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, who matched the course record with a 65, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, in with a 69, and Korean Joohyung Kim, who carded a 70.
South African Justin Harding, joint overnight leader with Kim, carded a 71 and is two off the lead.
Smyth is set to feature in the final group for the first time on the Asian Tour but shrugged off the pressure and said: “I definitely think I can win. I don’t know how I’m going to do it – but it’s going to be exciting. This is the best chance that I’ve had on the Asian Tour to win, so I cannot wait to get out there.
“Today, I knew I was up there early on because I started pretty well. I’m hoping tomorrow I feel like I did today.”
The man from 100 kilometres south of Sydney in New South Wales, said: “I was thinking ‘make four’. It was pretty obvious to go left of the tree, hit it to the front of the green, two-putt – and I holed it!”
