Travis Smyth Returns to LIV Golf as a Wild Card: New and Improved Performance Highlights International Series and Mexican Debut

Australian golfer Travis Smyth has secured a surprise return to the LIV Golf circuit as a Wild Card entry for the tournament in Mexico City, marking his first appearance on the tour since July 2022.

The 31-year-old from New South Wales will tee off at Club de Golf Chapultepec this week after receiving a last-minute call-up following Phil Mickelson’s withdrawal from the HyFlyers GC lineup. Smyth’s spot was created when Scott Vincent moved into the starting lineup to replace Mickelson, opening the Wild Card position that Smyth now fills.

Smyth’s return comes off the back of a remarkable run of form in early 2026. He captured victory at the International Series Japan earlier this month, followed by a win at the Japan-Australasia Championship last month. These two triumphs in his last three starts have propelled him to the top of both the International Series season-long rankings and the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

His success has also earned him a career-best world ranking of 135th, securing automatic qualification for both the PGA Championship and The Open Championship later this year. Smyth previously claimed the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit earlier in 2026, further underlining his rapid ascent across multiple tours.

Reflecting on his evolution since his initial LIV Golf appearances in 2022, Smyth acknowledged significant changes in his approach. “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,” he said. “I’m a much better player now. Super-pumped to see how I stack up against these guys now since I’m in some good form.”

Despite his improved results, Smyth insists the transformation has been more mental than technical. Speaking to Golf Australia magazine ahead of his Mexico City debut, he stated: “It’s all between the ears. I haven’t changed my swing… I’ve felt like I’ve hit it better or played better through stretches before this, but this feels different.”

The call-up to LIV Golf came with little warning. Smyth revealed he was watching The Masters when he received the invitation early on Monday morning. “I was watching the Masters; I received a call at about 7.30am,” he told Golf Australia. “I was like, ‘Yes’ immediately. Then my brain started spiralling, because I’m actually moving house at the moment.”

With little time to prepare, Smyth described a frantic few days of last-minute arrangements. “I hadn’t started the actual move; but had to prepare to fly, and so I’d just been scrambling for the past two days, trying to do everything I possibly could before I flew off,” he said. He credited friends for helping manage his household move while he competed in Mexico.

Smyth’s initial LIV Golf stint came during the tour’s inaugural 2022 season, where he made three starts. His best finish came at LIV Golf Bedminster in July 2022, where he placed tied for 22nd. His return in 2026 marks a stark contrast to that earlier version of his game, both in performance and preparation.

As a Wild Card entrant, Smyth will look to make an immediate impact in Mexico City, continuing a stretch of play that has seen him emerge as one of Australian golf’s most promising performers on the global stage in 2026.