Scott Hend adds another senior major podium finish
Scott Hend – making his mark in the US even without status – file image
Australian Scott Hend has followed up an impressive third-place finish in the opening major of the season at the Senior PGA Championship with a runner-up finish at the second major of 2026, the Regions Tradition Championship in Birmingham, Alabama.
Still without status as a full-time member of the PGA Tour Champions, Hend reeled off a final round of 65 to jump nine places, a final nine of 31, including an eagle at the 13th, not quite good enough to catch yet another Stewart Cink win, but enabling the 52-year-old to finish three shots back and alone in second place.
Hend adds another US$228,000 to the US$174,000 he earned at the Senior PGA Championship and, in just the two starts in which he has been eligible, has moved inside the top ten to 9th place in the Charles Schwab Cup money list.
Hend’s power game was again to the fore, leading the driving distance stats for the week with an average of 301 yards.
The performance should earn Hend a start in the US$3 million Insperity Championship in Houston starting this Thursday.
Hend also leads the Staysure Legends Tour in Europe with three top 5’s in three starts there this season.
New Zealand’s Steve Alker was the next best of the Australasians when he tied for 11th place after a somewhat disappointing weekend.
Alker does, however, remain in 4th place in the year-long Charles Schwab Cup.
