Smith’s run of four tournaments, which was hugely appreciated by everyone connected with Australian golf, started at the Queensland PGA at Nudgee, continued at the Ford NSW Open at Murray Downs and  BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and ended at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath.

Although a win proved to be elusive, with two runners-up finishes the best results, he did thrill the crowds with his golf, helping to build crowd figures, broadcast ratings and media coverage.

“I would love to,” Smith said today when asked if would repeat this year’s well received longer return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

“I think I’ve got to take that as it comes. As everyone knows now we’re expecting (a baby in March), so I think that’s going to have a big thing to do with it, which was really part of the reason why I wanted to do it this year.

“But we finish (LIV Golf) again in the middle of August, so there’s no reason that I can’t play at least one or two more again.

“I’ve loved doing it … so whether it’s the same two (Tour events) or a different two, I don’t really know, but yeah, I would love to do it again.”

Smith signed off with a birdie at the last of his 288 holes for the Australian summer, posting a round of 71 at Kingston Heath for an Open tally of -3 and a tie for 41^st, well short of his goal to win the Stonehaven Cup for the first time.

After an opening round of 65 at Victoria Golf Club, he had moved to 11-under midway through his second round before a back nine of +5 put a severe dent in his chances.

“I guess that back nine on Friday really just kind of hurt and it was kind of hard to get over. I was frustrated and angry that whole night. Got a terrible sleep, up all night thinking about it,” he said.

“I feel like I did a lot right, particularly the three weeks before this, and yeah, when you have nine holes like that, when it kind of comes out the blue like it did, it’s just really frustrating, particularly the spot I was in.

“I didn’t really need to do too much more to be in the golf tournament, so it’s just really frustrating.”