Shellharbour golfer Travis Smyth has capped a remarkable week on the international stage, finishing tied for eighth at LIV Golf Korea and playing a key role in the Crushers GC defending their team title, all after one of the most unexpected call-ups in recent memory.
The 31-year-old had only just returned to Sydney after competing in the PGA Championship in the United States when his phone rang. He was asked to serve as a reserve for the Crushers at the Asiad Country Club in South Korea, covering for teammate Paul Casey who was sidelined with a wrist injury. What followed was a whirlwind that Smyth himself admits he barely had time to process.
The moment things became real came in the most casual of circumstances, on the driving range, while he was rushing to play in a pro-am.
“I thought he was choosing me as a reserve if someone were to pull out, so I was walking past, and he’s like, hey, we’re choosing you this week, on the driving range,” Smyth said of his captain, Bryson DeChambeau.
“I was rushing to the pro-am, and he was like, yeah, we’re choosing you. I’m like, oh, cool.”
The penny still hadn’t quite dropped.
“He was like, yeah, you’re playing. I’m like, oh, okay, so if someone pulls out. He’s like, ‘No, you’re playing.’ It happened so fast. I just kept walking. I kind of brushed it off.”
Once the reality sank in, Smyth delivered. He posted rounds of 72, 66, 68 and 67 for a seven-under-par total, finishing tied for eighth and becoming just the second reserve player in LIV Golf history to win a team trophy, following Smash GC’s John Catlin.
Crushers GC secured a record tenth regular-season team title, and Smyth’s contribution did not go unnoticed. Teammate Charles Howell III was full of praise after the event.
“Man, the week that Travis had, shooting those scores around this golf course,” Howell said.
“When you’re playing for a team, and you’re up there at the top, and you’re wanting to win, it’s just one of the really, really cool things about LIV Golf.”
On Instagram, an emotional Smyth reflected on the experience, writing: “What a week! T8th and a team win on @livgolfleague with @crushers_gc. @brysondechambeau, @banstaa, Charles Howell III and the entire Crushers team welcomed me with open arms and I couldn’t be more grateful. Playing for the team this week I assure you brought so many more nerves and I couldn’t be happier to do my part for @crushers_gc.”
He also sent a personal message to his captain: “@brysondechambeau — Thanks for believing in me. I owe you a beer.”
The performance is the latest highlight in a stellar stretch of form for the Illawarra product. Smyth earlier this year secured his DP World Tour card for 2027 after winning the PGA Tour of Australasia in March, and currently sits at the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and second in The International Series Rankings, placing him firmly in contention for a full LIV Golf contract in 2027.
He won’t have long to savour the moment, with Smyth set to tee it up again at LIV Golf Andalucia at the iconic Real Club Valderrama, once again filling in for Paul Casey.
