Hend fit and ready to crown his rookie year in Brunei

Former US Tour player Scott Hend will be ready to rip drives down the fairways in his search for a maiden Asian Tour title in his Brunei Open debut next week.

The big-hitting Australian will be amongst the top contenders at the resplendent Empire Hotel and Country Club where he will take on the likes of defending champion Wang Ter-chang of Chinese Taipei and current Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit leader Liang Wen-chong of China.

After a hand injury put the brakes on his career in the United States last season, Hend has been on the mend in his rookie season on the Asian Tour where three top-five finishes has vaulted him into third place on the UBS Order of Merit.

With a maiden trip to the US$300,000 Brunei Open, Hend is searching for his first title in Asia.

“These next few events are important for me. I would like to break through and win one of them and set the tone for the remainder of the season,” said Hend.

“It would be good if I could challenge for the top position, but just finishing off this year on a solid note would be great. I have not won a tournament yet so I am hoping to achieve this soon.”

Hend has made quite an impact on the Asian Tour since earning his card by finishing second in the Qualifying School. He subsequently contended at the season-opening Pakistan Open in January before settling for the runner-up place.

In April, the Aussie, who has five titles on the Australasian Tour, enjoyed a purple patch, finishing second in the Volvo China Open, joint third in the BMW Asian Open and 10th in the inaugural Pine Valley Beijing Open to charge into contention for the prestigious UBS Order of Merit crown.

“So far this year things are progressing to a point which looks promising for a win. But with the positions I have been in, not being able to notch a win has somewhat been disappointing. But after what I went through in 2006 (with his injury), it has been a great start to 2007,” said Hend, who tore muscles in his left hand which ruled him out for several months last year.

While Hend will be hoping to emulate England’s Simon Dyson by winning the UBS Order of Merit crown in his rookie season in Asia, the Australian knows that he needs to take his chances well, especially at events like the Brunei Open, which is celebrating its third edition next week.

“It looks like it could be a great finish to the rest of the season. I would like to think that I could be battling for the title come the end of the year. It could be tough as I won't be able to play all the tournaments because of US Tour Qualifying School. So I will have to play great when I get my chances,” he said.

Hend said he took a complete rest from golf during the Asian Tour’s summer break to prepare for a hectic second half of the season. “I have only played two rounds of golf in two months, it’s been the longest break from golf I've had in five years (apart from his forced break from injury). My body needed a rest from the travelling and golf.”

American Anthony Kang, meanwhile, will be fired up for a return to the Brunei Open which he finished third last year. Kang, who is a two-time Asian Tour winner, credited his good friend Ahmad Dan Bateman for his return to form.

“I met Ahmad for the first time in 1999 and we have been friends ever since. He takes everything into calculated science as it’s all about the numbers for him on course, and I always give him a hard time. He is a tremendous support,” said Kang.

Kang feels right at home at the Empire Hotel and Country Club and he will be eager to impress for the second straight year. “The course has a nice design, I like it. The Brunei Open was the best result for me last year and it is always great going back there,” said Kang.

Other Asian Tour stars lined up for the Brunei Open include former Asian number one Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, Malaysia’s Airil Rizman, who is the Pakistan Open winner, American Jason Knutzon, the Motorola International Bintan winner, Chinese legend Zhang Lian-wei and Filipino Juvic Pagunsan, last year’s rookie of the year.

August 24, 2007

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