Aussie legend Hend hits back in Macau after last-gasp New Zealand heartache

Australian veteran Scott Hend has put himself in contention again for a second successive tournament after a two-under round of 68 left him just four off the lead at the halfway stage of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn.

And the 50-year-old has vowed to be his usual aggressive self as he goes in search of win No.11 on the Asian Tour, two weeks after missing out in agonizing fashion to Takahiro Hataji at the 103^rd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.

A fortnight ago, Hend rolled back the years with a vintage display and had either led or shared the lead over three days before Hataji took to the front with birdies on 12 and 15. And even though Hend caught up with birdies on 16 and 17, a missed four-footer for par handed the Japanese star outright victory at Queenstown's Millbrook Resort.

In Macau, the 10-time Asian Tour winner and 16-time champion around the world, followed up his five-under first round 65, when he was out in the second group, with a steady round today to sit well-placed behind David Puig of Spain and Jbe Kruger of South Africa at the Macau Golf and Country Club.

Reflecting on his New Zealand experience, he said: “I am not a person to leave putts short, or a person who believes in tomorrow – I’m about the here and now. My nature is aggressive, and it comes out in my golf - up front.

“You win some, you lose some - you do not win by leaving putts short. I misjudged one (on 18) and hit a good putt coming back and it just lipped out. There is not much more I can do. Unfortunately, it cost me some money but it is not where I lost the tournament.

“I lost the tournament on the back nine, where I missed a three and a half footer on 13 for birdie, I did not birdie 12, and I did not birdie the par-five 14th. I cannot blame 18. I birdied 16 and 17 to get in position, and then I went for the win. I tried to get it done in real time and that is the way I am!”

Reflecting on his second round, Hend added: “I missed a lot of putts today and couldn’t get a grasp of the greens. On the first round, being out second in the morning, we did not have much grain to contend with.

“As it dried out a bit in the afternoon, the grains stood up and I was a quarter of a ball out from holing putts. I am playing really well, and we had wind this morning and this afternoon, and the other side of the draw had nothing! I’m well positioned for the weekend; the guys are shooting good scores and let’s see what happens. No one is going to get away. With one club length preferred lie because of the condition of the fairways, it is always going to come down to a bit of a putting competition and not really a ball-striking thing. We will see, with the greens today, hopefully tomorrow we can get back into it.”

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