Scott Hend continued Australia’s impressive run on the European Tour this season by holding off the course-record charge of home hope Piya Swangarunporn to win the True Thailand Classic yesterday.
The 42-year-old from Queensland birdied the 17th hole and went on to sign for a four-under 68 and 18-under total to edge Piya by one shot after the unheralded Thai, ranked No. 798 in the world, threatened an unlikely victory with a blistering 63.
Piya had already made six birdies and an eagle when he rolled in a tricky 15-footer to pick up another shot on the final green and snatch the lead for the first time, drawing a flurry of fist pumps and cheers from the crowd, but overnight leader Hend quickly responded, rolling in a birdie two on the 14th at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, where he was runner-up last year.
HONG KONG OPEN TITLE
The big-hitting Australian, whose previous European Tour win came at the 2014 Hong Kong Open, then drove the green with his tee shot at the par-four 17th and walked away with a key birdie after a solid short putt to go ahead for good.
More power hitting saw him find the green in two at the par-five last as he took three putts to close out victory at the US$1.75 million event to become the fifth different Australian winner in 13 European Tour events this season.
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters (68) finished third on 15-under, with Peter Uihlein (70) of the US fourth and Sweden’s Pelle Edberg (70) fifth.
Lin Wen-tang was the highest-placed Taiwanese, tied for 45th place on four-under after a 71, while Hsieh Chi-hsien (71) was tied for 54th place a shot further back and Hung Chien-yao (73) finished tied for 67th place on four-over.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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