25 Sep 2024 | Professional golf |
Aussies on Tour: Smyth's sights on second Asian Tour win
by Tony Webeck
Australian Travis Smyth will endeavour to stay out of his own way as he seeks to turn a run of red-hot form into a second Asian Tour title at this week’s Yeangder TPC in Chinese Taipei.
A return to Linkou International Golf and Country Club should elicit positive memories for Smyth, who broke through in this tournament two years ago for his maiden Asian Tour win and was second last year.
That win also marked the start of a new dietary regime that has significantly impacted Smyth’s health and enabled him to get the very best from his considerable talents on the golf course.
Runner-up at the Shinhan Donghae Open two weeks ago, Smyth was also fourth at the Mandiri Indonesia Open, tied fifth at the International Series Morocco to go with two further top-10 finishes.
Currently sixth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Smyth knows that all he needs now is patience to bring that second win to fruition.
“I feel like I’m playing good golf and really feel like a win is going to be coming very soon but I need to go out and earn it,” said Smyth.
“I can’t get in my own way and think about winning too much.
“It’s going to require a lot of patience, digging deep and focusing on those good shots. What do I have to do to hit those good shots?
“Then I think I’ll be in a good position.”
Smyth leads a contingent of 16 Australians in Taipei that includes another Aussie in good form in Aaron Wilkin.
Wilkin endured a heartbreaking playoff loss at the Indonesia Open four weeks ago to climb to 31st on the Order of Merit.
David Micheluzzi (75th) and Jason Scrivener (80th) can advance their chances of qualifying for the DP World Tour Playoffs at the Open de Espana in Madrid and Grace Kim and Stephanie Kyriacou lead the five Aussies at the LPGA Tour’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Photo: Jason Butler/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEST
Asian Tour Yeangder TPC Linkou International Golf and Country Club, Chinese Taipei 8:30am Deyen Lawson 8:50am Justin Warren 9am Jack Thompson 9:10am Todd Sinnott 9:10am* Kevin Yuan 9:20am Zach Murray 9:20am* Brendan Jones 9:30am Andrew Dodt 9:30am* Jed Morgan, Harrison Crowe 9:50am Lachlan Barker 1:40pm Aaron Wilkin 2:10pm Travis Smyth 2:30pm Jordan Zunic 2:40pm Sam Brazel 2:40pm* Maverick Antcliff
Defending champion: Poom Saksansin Past Aussie winners: Travis Smyth (2022) Prize money: $US1 million
Presidents Cup Royal Montreal Golf Club, Montreal, Canada Day 1: Fourballs Day 2: Foursomes Day 3: Fourballs/Foursomes Final Day: Singles
Defending champions: United States TV times: Live Friday 1:30am–8am; Live Saturday 3am–8am; Live Saturday 9pm–8am; Live Monday 2am-8am on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LPGA Tour Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers, Arkansas Australasians in the field: Grace Kim, Stephanie Kyriacou, Gabriela Ruffels, Hira Naveed, Robyn Choi.
Defending champion: Haeran Ryu Past Aussie winners: Nil Prize money: $US3 million TV times: Live 6:30am-9:30am Saturday; Live 4am-7am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
DP World Tour acciona Open de España Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain 5pm Jason Scrivener 5:40pm Andrew Martin 6:10pm Daniel Hillier (NZ) 9:40pm* David Micheluzzi 10:30pm* Haydn Barron 11:10pm Sam Jones (NZ)
Defending champion: Matthieu Pavon Past Aussie winners: Rodger Davis (1990) Prize money: $US3.25 million TV times: Live 10pm-3am Thursday, Friday; Live 9:30pm-2am Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 9pm-2am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Ladies European Tour Lacoste Ladies Open de France Golf Barriere, Deauville, France 4:15pm* Momoka Kobori (NZ) 4:39pm Kelsey Bennett 9:03pm Kirsten Rudgeley 9:03pm* Whitney Hillier
Defending champion: Johanna Gustavsson Past Aussie winners: Karen Lunn (1997), Stacey Keating (2012) Prize money: €375,000
Japan Golf Tour Vantelin Tokai Classic Miyoshi Country Club (West Cse), Aichi 10:30am* Anthony Quayle 10:40am* Brad Kennedy 10:50am* Michael Hendry
Defending champion: Yuta Kinoshita Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1985, 1990), Brian Jones (1988) Prize money: ¥110 million
Challenge Tour Swiss Challenge Golf Saint Apollinaire, Folgensbourg, France 4:56pm* Hayden Hopewell 5:29pm Connor McKinney
Defending champion: Adam Blomme Past Aussie winners: Nil Prize money: €270,000
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