Travis Smyth is back in the LIV Golf spotlight, but the player teeing off Thursday at Club de Golf Chapultepec bears little resemblance to the struggling golfer who last appeared on the circuit in 2022.
The 31-year-old Australian returns as a Wild Card player for this week's tournament in Mexico City, filling the spot vacated when Scott Vincent moved into the starting lineup for HyFlyers GC to replace Phil Mickelson. It marks Smyth's first LIV Golf appearance since finishing solo 22nd at LIV Golf Bedminster in July 2022.
The transformation has been remarkable. Smyth arrives in Mexico riding a wave of exceptional form, having captured victories at the Japan-Australasia Championship last month and the International Series Japan earlier this month. Those triumphs represent two wins in his last three starts.
"Totally different," said Smyth when asked how his game has evolved over the past four years. "I used to do some funky stuff with my swing; I was working with a pretty out-there golf coach at the time. My body was really average, and I had some lower back issues at the time. I was pretty much a mess back then."
The results speak to his dramatic improvement. Smyth currently leads both the International Series season-long rankings and the Asian Tour Order of Merit, achievements that follow his earlier capture of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit this year.
His world ranking has climbed to a career-best 135th, and he has already secured guaranteed spots in both the PGA Championship and Open Championship this summer. The momentum represents a stark contrast to his previous LIV Golf experience during the tour's inaugural 2022 season.
"I'm a much better player now," Smyth declared. "Super-pumped to see how I stack up against these guys now since I'm in some good form."
While Smyth acknowledges having strong stretches in the past, he credits mental growth for his current success. "My ability to score and put myself in contention – mentally I feel like I've come up to another level, and it's allowed me to play a bit better," he explained. "I'm scoring well and hitting the shots when I need to to stay in contention and also win."
The path to Mexico City proved chaotic for Smyth. After receiving notification Sunday morning in Australia about his spot in the field, he faced a frantic scramble involving visa applications and passport issues following his recent appearance in Japan. Adding to the complexity, he's currently in the middle of relocating to a new home in Australia.
"Everything's felt a bit of a rush," Smyth admitted, "but I had a good night's sleep and today feels nice. Really excited to be part of this again."
Next week, Smyth will travel to Singapore for the International Series Singapore Open, where he'll aim to maintain his position atop the rankings. The International Series championship carries significant weight, as the season winner earns a coveted spot in the 2027 LIV Golf League.
This incentive has influenced Smyth's scheduling priorities as he builds toward that potential full-time return to LIV Golf. His current form suggests he's well-positioned to capitalize on this Wild Card opportunity and demonstrate just how much his game has evolved since those early LIV Golf struggles.
