Hend ends Thai DOMINATION

The 43-year-old Queenslander, who won the European-Asian Tour co-sanctioned Thailand Classic in Hua Hin three months ago, fired five birdies against a lone bogey for a 15-under 269 for his ninth Asian Tour crown.

 

Two shots behind overnight leader Prom Meesawat at the start, Hend, after a bogey on the ninth, shot his fourth birdie on the 12th to catch up with the struggling Thai. He overtook Prom with another birdie on the 14th where the Thai bogeyed and held onto to that advantage until the end.

 

 “I had a two-shot lead coming down the last hole and I didn’t want to do anything stupid or ridiculous. When I saw that Gunn finished on 14-under, I just wanted to play solid,” said Hend. “I lost the tournament in Wentworth, in Mauritius and had chances in China. That’s four times this year and I didn’t win. It’s nice to win again,” added the Australian, who left Thailand with the winner’s prize money of US$54,000.

 

His latest victory could see him overtake countryman Marcus Fraser on the Official World Golf Ranking and put him in a position to make the Olympic Games.

 

“There are three more weeks for the Olympic qualifying. I’m 43 this year, who knows how much longer |I can play although I’m getting |better with age. It’ll be nice to go to the Olympics and be one of the |first Australians to play in it since golf’s re-inclusion. It’s all these different things that you chalk up in your career and when you’re finished, you just sit back and say this is what I did,” said Hend who snapped the five-year domination of Thais in the tournament which was won among the trio of Chawalit Phlaphol, Thaworn Wiratchant and Prayad Marksaeng between 2011 – 2015.

 

Gunn, 24 from Phang Nga, signed off with an unblemished final round scorecard of 66 and a total 14-under 270 for his best finish on the Asian Tour after turning pro in 2011. His previous attempt was a sixth place in the 2013 Solaire Open in the Philippines.

 

 “I had no expectations coming into the tournament. But after 11 holes today, I began to think about my chances, checking Hend’s score and pushed myself. What I need to improve is my reading of putts. I have to go back home and focus on it,” said Gunn, who suffered a left wrist injury in 2014 and lost his Tour card.

 

A stroke behind at joint third were two Thais Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Prom and world No 73 Jeunghun Wang of South Korea and American Paul Petersen. The 31-year-old Prom had been sluggish all day before settling for a 72 and 12-under 272“I tried my best but I just could not make my putts. 

 

Scott was just too good in every way today,” said Prom who has to wait for his third Tour title after winning in Taiwan in 2014.

 

Fourth round scores at the par-71, 6,808-yards Santiburi GCC course:

269 – Scott Hend (Aus) 69-69-64-67.

270 – Gunn Charoenkul (Tha) 67-69-68-66.

272 – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (Tha) 70-67-69-66, Paul Peterson (Usa) 70-65-68-69, Jeunghun Wang (Kor) 69-72-62-69, Prom Meesawat (Tha) 70-65-65-72.

273 – Nicholas Fung (Mas) 70-70-66-67.

274 – Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 69-72-67-66, Thanyakon Khrongpha (Tha) 70-68-67-69.

275 – Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 72-68-69-66.

276 – Sorachut Hansapiban (Tha) 68-72-65-71, Antonio Lascuna (Phi) 70-70-65-71, Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) 69-67-66-74.