Travis Smyth’s stunning Sunday assault came up just short in Korea as Scott Hend also had to settle for second at the Legends Open de France.

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 8-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.

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 $US315,000 Won at first hole of sudden-death playoff T6 Cameron Percy 69-69-67—205 $79,800 T8 Richard Green 71-69-66—206 $57,750 T15 Rod Pampling 68-68-72—208 $33,642 T20 Steven Alker (NZ) 74-70-65—209 $26,040 T23 Stuart Appleby 72-71-67—210 $19,688 T23 Steve Allan 67-73-70—210 $19,688 T23 Greg Chalmers 70-68-72—210 $19,688 T31 David Bransdon 70-72-69—211 $13,041 T31 Mark Hensby 70-70-71—211 $13,041 T60 Michael Wright 69-75-72—216 $3,465 T64 John Senden 71-74-72—217 $2,730

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