Travis Smyth
(Golf NSW Photo)
TERREY HILLS, New South Wales (January 31, 2017) -- Travis Smyth didn’t let the intense heat or his unfamiliarity with Killara Golf Club affect his golf as he backed up his first round 8-under effort with an impressive 6-under-par 66 in Tuesday morning's second round of the NSW Amateur Championship.
The 21-year-old from Shellharbour set a 36-hole total score of 14-under par which is also his personal best two-round score. Unfortunately for Smyth, he won’t be taking part in the match play rounds due to a prior wedding commitment.
“I’m a bit disappointed about not going onto the match play, we all practice and play to try and win, and this is the biggest title in the state, but a close friend of mine is getting married on Thursday, and I committed to that. I wish it were four rounds so I could beat my record,” Smyth said.
Smyth was clearly at ease around the North Shore layout today, making five birdies and an eagle, in an impressive display of shotmaking. His only blemish, was a bogey on the par-4 14th.
“Everything went well today, just like yesterday,” he smiled.
“Michael Quinn invited me here earlier this week, I haven’t played here for a while, I wasn’t too comfortable, but after a practice round with him, I knew exactly what to do,
“The greens are a bit slow around here, I was hitting my putts pretty hard, and even then they would only roll a foot or so past,” Smyth said.
New Zealand’s Henry Spring carded the round of the day at Killara, a 7-under-par 65 that included two eagles in his front nine. It is also the Whakatane Golf Club representatives lowest ever round.
“I holed out for eagle from 128m on the 6th, then eagled No. 9, they really got my round going,”
“This is my personal best. My next best was 5-under at the Riversdale Cup. It’s pretty nice to get a personal best,” he smiled.
The 18-year old Kiwi will head into the match play round as the top-seed, and after contending at the Avondale Amateur will be ready to go deep in the match play rounds. He also has a couple of junior titles under his belt.
“I won the New Zealand U19 Boys, and I’ve also won the NSW Boys title and the Queensland Boys title,” he smiled.
Rounding out the top-5 are the English pair of Marco Penge and Scott Gregory, alongside Newcastle 19-year-old Blake Windred.
A late change in the weather has dealt a blow to some players who were faced to process to the match play rounds. The top 32 and ties will progress to the matchplay rounds which begin tomorrow. A playoff at 1-over-par was required between seven golfers for the remaining two places in the matchplay field.
-Editors Note: Article is by Dave Tease of Golf New South Wales
ABOUT THE
NSW Men's Amateur
The NSW Medal is played over two courses. It is
two rounds of 18-holes stroke play and then match
play.
The field is evenly divided between the two
venues for the first day’s play with players
changing venues for their second round. The winner
of
the 36 holes stroke play
section of the Championship is the winner of the
NSW Medal.
The leading 32 players from the NSW Medal
(who have nominated to play in the NSW
Amateur) will be eligible to compete in the NSW
Amateur Championship Match Play, with each
match played over 18-holes other than the Final
which is played over 36-holes. The match play is
seeded with ties determined by lot.
View Complete Tournament Information