Asian Tour Yearbook - 2022

Travis turns the corner in Taipei Becomes first Australian to win prestigious Yeangder title T here is no doubt that 2022 on the Asian Tour was the year of the blonde bombers. Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent enjoyed a stunning season by winning the International Series Order of Merit and the International Series England, while there was another with long, flowing, golden locks who caught the eye, Travis Smyth. The Australian’s moment of victory came a little later in the year compared to Vincent, who triumphed in June, but Smyth was ever present on the leader boards throughout the season in the build up to his maiden victory on the Asian Tour at the Yeangder TPC in Chinese-Taipei in September. Smyth had actually finished solo second to Vincent in England and was bitterly disappointed not to land his first title there. But he got the monkey off his back at the Yeandger event with brilliant back-to-back six-under-par 66s over the weekend at Linkou International Golf and Country Club, in Taipei. The 27 year old from Sydney drew on a season of strong performances and near misses to finish the tournament on 19 under and beat defending champion Lee Chieh-po from Chinese-Taipei, by two shots. Chinese-Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan, Nicholas Fung from Malaysia, American Berry Henson, and Brilliant back-to- back 66s by Travis Smyth (FAR LEFT/ ABOVE) over the weekend sealed the deal. 99 I want to be the player that I believe I can be, and winning this week is one step along the journey. -TRAVIS SMYTH Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden tied for third, five behind the winner. Smyth started the final day with a one-shot lead and proved uncatchable after he birdied four out of the first six to make the turn in four under before virtually wrapping things up by making three birdies in a row from the 10th. With a healthy lead the surprise double bogey he made on the 15th, which were his only dropped shots of the day, proved inconsequential as he responded with his final birdie of the day on the next. “Feels amazing!” said an overjoyed Smyth, who picked up a cheque for US$126,000. “I got so close before, I felt like I let it go in England but it did allow me to play some LIV events, and after that experience I felt the need to just get back there. I want to be the player that I believe I can be, and winning this week is one step along the journey.” He became the first Australian to win the prestigious title and, as he explained later, he was pushed all the way by playing-partner Lee. He added: “The opening nine, or first five, six holes are quite easy, but it's a tight course so you have to hit it straight. But you know the guy I was playing with, Lee Chieh-po, he played amazing. I was always like one, two or three shots within him, Y E A N G D E R T P C LI NKOU I NTE RNATI ONA L GO LF AND COUNTRY C LUB | S E PTEMB E R 22-25, 2022 | P R IZE MON E Y US$70 0,0 0 0