‘This IS My Story’ is a series capturing how The International Series shapes the journeys of golfers across Asia and beyond. Professionals, caddies, and staff share their stories and show why The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf.
Everything I Got
My name is Travis Smyth, and I am a 30-year-old professional golfer from Shellharbour, Australia. I started playing golf when I was 12. I grew up playing rugby, and one day, a rugby friend took me to a football field to hit golf balls around. I fell in love with it straight away and got addicted to the feeling of a well-struck shot flying through the air.
My dad was a decent player too, and he - along with a local coach - taught me the basics at Port Kembla Golf Course.
My journey has been full of ups and downs, but I am still living out my dream. I wake up every day excited to get to the course and work on improving my game. The pressures of professional golf can take their toll, but when I take a step back and look at my life, I would not trade it for anything. I love what I do.
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Huge Opportunities
The International Series events are on another level compared to regular tournaments. The courses are great, the fields are stronger, and there is just more hype around them. They just feel like a big deal. Plus, we get to travel to some cool destinations, which makes it all so much fun and exciting.
These tournaments are a huge opportunity to change our lives. Getting onto LIV Golf is a big goal of mine, and achieving that would truly change my life financially. I call these events “our majors” because they mean the most to us.
One defining moment in my journey was winning a professional tournament back in Australia by seven shots as an amateur. Dominating the course like that gave me so much confidence and made the transition from amateur to pro so much easier, knowing I could compete at that level.
The International Series England was also one of my favourites because I went into the week with no expectations and ended upcoming second, which qualified me for three LIV Golf tournaments.
Love For the Game
It is easy to stay motivated while on tour because my love for the game always brings me back. There are so many times when I get frustrated with myself and with this cruel game, especially when the results do not reflect how strong I feel about my performance. My brain is wired to want to get better. I always want to improve, no matter the result.
I balance patience and ambition with working towards that breakthrough moment by focusing on what is important now -funny how that acronym is WIN!
Golf has taught me that nothing is ever really in our control. Your focus should always be on the present moment. You give your best effort with whatever is in front of you, accept whatever comes your way, and then move on.
I focus a lot on recovery when I am competing. Getting plenty of sleep, doing saunas and ice baths, and finding healthy food are all big parts of my routine. I also must have a coffee in the morning! I will go out of my way for all of that if I have to.
Looking ahead, my main goal is to advance to LIV Golf through the opportunities that the Asian Tour and International Series provide. That is the dream, and I am giving it everything I got.
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of a set of elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings Winner & Runner-Up promotion to the LIV Golf League.
