Scott Hend’s great weekend earns 4th place at Senior Open Championship
Scott Hend – file photo
Queenslander, Scott Hend, has finished in 4th place at the ISPS Handa Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale in Berkshire, heading a group of five Australasians who finished inside the top ten and seven inside the top twenty in the final major of the year for senior golf.
Hend, already on top of the European Legends Tour money list but without status on the PGA Tour Champions, produced the equal best final round of the day following a stunning third round of 64, to move from 36th on Friday evening to record his best finish in a major at this level and four shots behind the winner, Padraig Harrington who continues to impress this season.
Harrington added this title to the US Senior Open at his last start on the PGA Tour Champions and becomes one of only five golfers to complete the Open Championship and Senior Open Championship double, joining Gary Player, Sir Bob Charles, Tom Watson, and Darren Clarke in doing so.
Hend, though, will earn €114,000 and must surely now look to gaining a card to play full time in the US (his family is based in Florida) after a lengthy career playing globally and a limited career on the European Legends (Seniors) Tour where he has won twice and finished runner-up on five other occasions.
Cameron Percy finished shared 5th place with Ernie Els, first round leader Steve Alker was 7th, Stephen Allan and Greg Chalmers tied for 8th, Richard Green was 13th and Michael Wright 17th in an impressive week for the Australasian contingent.
