After his thrilling last-second win at the International Series Japan on Sunday, Travis Smyth admitted he wasn't sure how many top-10 finishes he'd racked up in his impressive recent streak.
In reality, he's notched 22 top-10s over the last four years on the Asian Tour, including two victories, three runner-up spots, and five third-place finishes.
The only lingering question mark—his relative lack of wins on the tour, especially the long gap between his first triumph at the 2022 Yeangder TPC and this latest one—has now vanished. Smyth sealed the deal with a stunning Sunday charge at Caledonian Golf Club, birdieing the 16th and eagling the par-5 18th on a clutch 20-foot, left-to-right breaker to edge out the field by one stroke. It was the mark of a player firing on all cylinders.
"I've turned a corner," the Australian said post-win, a result that vaulted him to the top of both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.
Smyth credits his breakthrough to relentless hard work, patience from constant contention, and key support from two figures: Melbourne-based sports psychologist Dan Dymond and veteran caddie Richard "Rich" Hallam.
"I've been working with Dan Dymond—it's been game-changing," Smyth shared. "No big swing changes, just steady tweaks, but mentally, I'm dialing in closer to my best."
Hallam, who caddied for Aussie Wade Ormsby through a decade of successes, joined Smyth's bag last year and doubles as an on-course mental coach. "Rich has 30 years of caddying under his belt—more than I've played golf," Smyth noted. "He steps in like a psychologist when I need it most."
Hallam was also on the bag for Smyth's recent ISPS Handa Japan-Australasia Championship win, which positioned him to snag the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
This Japan victory marked his first on The International Series, the Asian Tour's premier events that feed into LIV Golf via the rankings. Smyth sampled LIV in its 2022 debut season and hasn't hidden his hunger to return.
"The goals haven't changed—LIV's been on my mind since I tasted it," he said. "I wake up and hit the hay thinking about it. I'll grind this season to get back where I belong."
He views International Series stops as his majors, especially the upcoming Singapore Open presented by The Business Times in two weeks—Asia's Major returning to The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club. With Smyth in peak form early in the season, expect the lanky Aussie to contend big.