Big-hitting Australian Scott Hend continues to show life begins at 40 after capturing his first European Tour title after a dramatic play-off victory in the Hong Kong Open.
Que and Hend ended regulation play tied on 13-under par after each shooting final round scores of three under par 67.
The 41-year old Queensland-born Hend, who resides in Florida with his family, then won the event with a par at the first extra hole after Que, who was playing with a yellow ball, duff his chip shot from just off the green and walk off with a bogey.
Hend found the green in regulation and despite his first putt finishing some six feet from the hole, the Aussie rolled in the par putt to claim also 11th professional victory of his career.
Aussie Scott Hends wins a third event since turning 40 in capturing the Hong Kong Open. (Photo – Thos Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
“I felt quite calm in the play-off and the only thing in playing 18 is that you don’t want to go for the pin as you can make a bogey so easy,” he said.
“But then I wasn’t too sure how to play the hole but I discussed it with my caddy and we agreed to play it the same way as we had played it in regulation and without plugging it in the bunker we should be fine.
“Unfortunately Angelo made a bogey and I would rather have won with a birdie as he’s a great guy, and I know you want to win but it would have been nice to win on a positive note by making a birdie but I will take the win and I’m estatic.”
Hend went into the final round in second place and two shots behind fellow Australian Marcus Fraser but remained at level par through the opening nine holes with two birdies and two bogeys before igniting his push to victory with birdies at 10, 12 and 14 to take a one shot lead.
And Hend continues to impress since turning 40 on August 15th last year as he’s now won three times with two of his three wins in 2013 on the Asian Tour coming post his birthday.
However it was not all plain sailing for Hend who missed a putt at the penultimate hole that would have given him the lead over Que who had grabbed the clubhouse lead in birding the last.
“I am just very happy to get this done as my wife, Lee Ann and kids are back in Florida but this victory is for my kids,” he said.
“This win also is to be treasured.”
Hend is the first Australian since fellow Queenslander Greg Norman won the title in 1983.
He’s also the 11th Australian-born winner of the event with other former Australian winners including some of the greats of Australian golf –
Peter Thomson (1960, ’65 and ’67), Kel Nagle (1961), Frank Phillips (1966 & 1963), Randall Vines (1968) and Kurt Cox (1982).
Hend’s success is also the first by an Australian on this year’s Race to Dubai tour and it is also the 117th Australian win on the tour.
Ireland’s Kevin Phelan with three closing birdies secured his best finish since turning professional also shooting a last day 67 to grab third place on 11-under par and one clear of England’s Mark Foster.
Four-time Major winner Ernie Els, who celebrated his 45th birthday on Friday by leading the field, carded a last day 69 to end tied in fifth place with four others including Australia’s Marcus Fraser who led going to the final round.
