Talk about going out with a bang.
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Travis Smyth was en route to missing the cut at first major on Friday night, but the Shellharbour product still managed to produce a keystone moment with a stunning hole-in-one on the 17th at Royal Liverpool.
It was the first hole-in-one in the history of the tricky hole that ensures Smyth's maiden trip the Open Championship will be a memorable one, with his nine-iron tee shot on the 132-yard par-three taking two bounces into the hole.
The 28-year-old from Shellharbour was on his way to missing the cut with two holes to play when he went out in a blaze of glory, striking the tournament's first ace in Friday's second round.
On the controversial new 132-yard par-three 17th, designed to create more late drama in the Open at Hoylake, Smyth's tee shot with a nine-iron took two bounces on the green and rolled into the hole, much to his astonishment and delight.
"It was amazing. A bit bittersweet actually," Smyth said.
"I had a shocker the day before on the same hole, made a double bogey. I was just really happy I hit a good shot because I was so disappointed from Thursday.
"Huge surprise that it went in the hole. It was just the perfect distance, perfect wind and the club. Everything just came together - and it was a moment I'll never forget.
"It was a chippy nine-iron, and probably half-way through the flight I was, 'all right, this is going to be good'. It looked amazing."
It was the third hole-in-one of the 28-year-old's pro career.
"Both the other two were - I wouldn't say poor shots, but I wasn't aiming at the flag," he said.
"I kind of pushed one in the hole and then I pulled another, but today was my first hole-in-one (when) I've actually attempted to get close. It was great. It was awesome. Even walking back to the 18th tee and down the last, people were yelling my name."
The 17th hole has been a topic of discussion given its design to create late drama, with Smyth earning a decent feather to be the first to nail an ace on the tricky hole.
"It's crazy. For sure, a little bit of history to be the first to hole-in-one there, super cool," he said.
The memorable shot wasn'r enough to avoid the cut after two rounds, with his second-round 72 leaving him eight-over for the tournament.
"Didn't play well, and that has chewed me up a lot," he said.
"So the ace is as good as you can feel when not making the cut, let's put it that way. It was a fantastic way to bow out."
Min Woo Lee and Jason Day are leading the Australian charge, tied for fourth seven shots off the lead.
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Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
