Hend holds off late surge to triumph

AUSTRALIA’S Scott Hend held off a brilliant challenge from Thailand’s Piya Swangarunporn to make amends for last year’s near-miss and win the True Thailand Classic yesterday.

Hend carded a closing 68 at Black Mountain Golf Club to finish 18 under par, one shot ahead of world No.798 Swangarunporn, who had surged through the field with a course-record 63. Swangarunporn began the day six shots off the lead but wiped out that deficit with six birdies and an eagle in the first 14 holes, before another birdie on the 18th set an imposing clubhouse target. Hend’s two-shot overnight lead had been wiped out in the space of two holes after Belgium’s Thomas Pieters birdied the first and holed out from a bunker for an eagle on the second, but Hend responded with birdies on the second and fourth.

The 43-year-old, who also led after 54 holes in 2015 before finishing second, birdied the 10th before a bogey on the 12th dropped him back into a share of the lead with Swangarunporn, who was seven groups ahead. A birdie on the 14th took Hend back into a tie for the lead and after driving the green on the 366-yard par four 17th and safely two-putting for birdie, he could afford to three-putt the 18th for par and secure a second European Tour title.