Trailing by three at the start of the final round of the 40th Shinhan Donghae Open, a tournament co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour, Smyth unleashed an astonishing birdie barrage to earn a share of the lead.

The New South Welshman peeled off a career-best seven consecutive birdies to start his final round and added an eighth at the par-4 ninth to go out in 28.

It would have been regarded as one of the finest nine-hole scores ever recorded on the Asian Tour but, as preferred lies were in play, can not be recognised as official.

Regardless, it put Smyth in prime position to challenge for a second Asian Tour title.

But the flood of front nine birdies dried up on the more challenging inward nine, Smyth’s nine pars to finish seeing him fall just one shot short of Japan’s Kensei Hirata.

“Bittersweet, after shooting eight under, but not winning,” said the 29-year-old, who now moves to sixth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“Seven-under yesterday and then 8-under today; amazing weekend.

“To fall one short sucks a bit, but my game is in a good spot; I think I am pretty close. I am just proud of the way I played.

“The front nine, obviously everything went my way. I do have the ability to hit good shots but to hit so many good shots in the space of nine holes is pretty amazing.

“Never had seven birdies in a row, that’s another PB of mine.”

Hend’s hopes of a second Legends Tour title were also bolstered by a strong start to his final round.

He wiped away a two-shot deficit with birdies at his opening two holes and looked the man to beat when he added a third at the par-5 fifth.

But a bogey-free 4-under 68 would not be enough as Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon stormed home with an 8-under 64 to win by two strokes.

West Australian Jason Scrivener produced his best result in close to two years to ignite his hopes of qualifying for the DP World Tour playoffs.

Scrivener’s closing round of 3-under 67 was enough for a tie for fourth at the Omega European Masters. He climbed 45 spots to 78th in the Race to Dubai Rankings and moved up 117 spots on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Cameron Percy took another step towards securing his future on the PGA TOUR Champions with a tie for sixth at the Ascension Charity Classic, projected to move up six spots to 31st in the Schwab Cup standings.

Photos: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP via Getty Images (Smyth); Phil Inglis/Getty Images (Hend)

Results

DP World Tour
Omega European Masters
Crans-sur-Sierre GC, Crans Montana, Switzerland
1          Matt Wallace                64-62-73-70—269       €496,979.28
Won in sudden-death playoff
T4        Jason Scrivener            64-69-72-67—272       €135,061.43
MC       Haydn Barron               70-70—140
MC       Sam Jones (NZ)            67-75—142
MC       David MIcheluzzi          72-71—143
MC       Andrew Martin             77-71—148

Asian Tour/Japan Golf Tour
The 40th Shinhan Donghae Open
Ocean Course at Club72, Korea
1          Kensei Hirata                71-67-62-66—266       $US191,343.96
2          Travis Smyth                68-70-65-64—267       $116,932.42
T40      Brad Kennedy              69-65-71-74—279       $5,515.45
MC       Anthony Quayle           67-75—142
MC       Kevin Yuan                   73-71—144
MC       Brendan Jones             72-75—147
MC       Junseok Lee                  76-74—150
MC       Wonjoon Lee                75-76—151

PGA TOUR Champions
Ascension Charity Classic
Norwood Hills Country Club, St Louis, Missouri
1          YE Yang                        65-69-66—200
Won at first hole of sudden-death playoff
T6        Cameron Percy             69-69-67—205
T8        Richard Green              71-69-66—206
T15      Rod Pampling              68-68-72—208
T20      Steven Alker (NZ)         74-70-65—209
T23      Stuart Appleby             72-71-67—210
T23      Steve Allan                   67-73-70—210
T23      Greg Chalmers             70-68-72—210
T31      David Bransdon           70-72-69—211
T31      Mark Hensby               70-70-71—211
T60      Michael Wright            69-75-72—216
T64      John Senden                71-74-72—217

Challenge Tour
Big Green Egg German Challenge
Wittelsbacher Golfclub, Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
1          Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen    69-73-67-64—273       €43,200
MC       Hayden Hopewell        72-72—144

PGA TOUR Americas
Fortinet Cup Championship
TPC Toronto (North Cse), Caledon, Ontario
1          Will Cannon                 72-65-69-69—275       $US40,500
MC       Grant Booth                 71-74—145
MC       Harry Hillier (NZ)          78-67—145

Epson Tour
Guardian Championship
Capitol Hill Golf Club, Prattville, Alabama
1          Fatima Fernandez Cano            69-66-67—202 $US39,375
T41      Fiona Xu (NZ)               71-71-71—213 $1,341
T41      Cassie Porter                76-68-69—213 $1,341
MC       Maddison Hinson-Tolchard      75-71—146
MC       Su Oh                                      74-80—154

LET Access Series
Rose Ladies Open
The Melbourne Club at Brocket Hall, England
1          Helen Briem                 68-69-66—203 €13,600
T17      Momoka Kobori (NZ)   72-71-68—211 €1,320.33
MC       Kelsey Bennett             76-72—148
MC       Stephanie Bunque        73-76—149
MC       Munchin Keh (NZ)        77-75—152
MC       Wenyung Keh (NZ)       79-76—155

Legends Tour
Legends Open de France
Le Touquet Golf Resort (La Forêt Cse), France
1          Greig Hutcheon           69-70-64—203
T2        Scott Hend                   69-68-68—205
11        Michael Long (NZ)        70-69-69—208
T40      Michael Campbell (NZ) 76-73-68—217