Asian Tour: Smyth finally fulfils promise with win in Taiwan, eyes further glory on LIV Golf Invitational circuit
- Australian claims 2-shot victory at Yeangder TPC after closing round 6-under 66 at Linkou International Golf and Country Club
- Defending champion Lee Chieh-po finishes second in home tournament
Australian Travis Smyth finally got the monkey off his back and won his maiden title on the Asian Tour on Sunday with an impressive two-shot victory in the Yeangder TPC.
The 27-year-old drew on a season of strong performances and near misses to fire his second successive six-under 66 at Linkou International Golf and Country Club, in Taipei, with defending champion Lee Chieh-po finishing runner up after an equally fine 67.
Taiwan’s Wang Wei-hsuan (67), Nicholas Fung from Malaysia (67), American Berry Henson (68), and Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden (69) tied for third, five back.
Smyth started the day with a one-shot lead and after he birdied four of the first six to make the turn in four under was largely out of sight, he then made sure with three birdies in a row from the 10th.
With a healthy lead, a double-bogey on 15, his only dropped shots of the day, was merely a blip that he overcame with his final birdie of the tournament on the next hole.
The victory made up for narrowly failing to win the International Series England in June where he was second – a result that earned him starts on the LIV Golf Invitational series.
“I got so close, I felt like I let it go in England and to play some LIV events, feel what it’s like there, I just want to get back,” he said. “I want to be the player that I believe I can be, and winning this week is one step along the journey.”
