Review | Scott Hend wins Hong Kong Open with victory over Angelo Que in play-off
Australian becomes first man from his country to win in Hong Kong since Greg Norman in 1983
Well that wraps it from us after another dramatic Hong Kong Open finish. We always seem to have last-hole drama here and this time it was Scott Hend who came out triumphant.
He's just been in speaking to the media, and says he's looking forward to another win next week at the Venetian Macau Open - "If I don't get too hungover celebrating tonight".
The first Australian winner of this tournament since the great Greg Norman in 1983, Hend says he's full of pride to have added his name to the trophy below his childhood hero's, and dedicated the win to his two twin eight-year-olds, Aston and McLaren, watching at home in Florida.
Get the South China Morning Post tomorrow and visit scmp.com for all the analysis and reaction from another cracking tournament.
Thanks for tuning in, see you next year.
Scott Hend of Australia is the new Hong Kong Open champion after beating Filipino Angelo Que at the first play-off hole at Fanling.
Both men finished on 13 under par, Que mounting a late charge with four birdies in his last six holes to set up the play-off.
Hend started the day on 10 under par and three birdies on the back nine put him ahead.
"I felt quite calm in the play-off, the only thing is, that hole you don't want to go for the pin. I wasn't sure how to play it, then I decided to do it the same way we did in regulation - without plugging the ball in a bunker," said Hend, the first Australian to win the Hong Kong Open since the great Greg Norman in 1983.
It would have been nice to win it with a birdie, but I'm ecstatic
"Unfortunately Angelo made a bogey, it would have been nice to win it with a birdie especially as he's a nice guy, but I'm ecstatic.
"I'm just very happy to get this done for my wife and kids back in Florida. This one's for the kids."
Que's second shot into the 18th green on the playoff hole found the fringe of the green. From there he fluffed his chip and couldn't make the par putt.
Hend holed out from five foot for a par and the title.
It was hard on Que, who had played the shot of the tournament on 18 in regulation play, pinging his iron to six inches for a birdie and a chance of a playoff. Hend could still have won it outright, but couldn't birdie either of his last two holes, and needed a steely sand save on 18 just to seal the playoff.
It was Que's best ever finish on the European Tour, however.
Hend, second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year, won the Macau Open last year and will defend his title there next week.
And the win at the co-sanctioned European / Asian Tour Hong Kong Open means he gets playing rights for Europe next season, potentially a lucrative step up.
The 41-year-old takes home a cheque for EUR 171,843.
He has won five times before on the Asian Tour, and six times at events in Australia and Canada
Four-time major winner Ernie Els, the biggest name in the field, could only finish in a tie for fifth after struggling with a hip problem over the weekend. Overnight leader Marcus Fraser also fell away, finishing on nine under as no-one took the tournament by the scruff of the neck in regulation play.
FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE
WE HAVE A WINNER! Scott Hend's putt wobbles in from the left edge and he is the new Hong Kong Open champion
Que's par putt from the fringe takes a bobble and is no good. Bogey. Hend with a putt to win
Hend's putt falls well below the hole, tricky one back too ... but Que fluffs his chip! This might be won by whoever pars.
Que's lie looks not too bad but not much room to get up and down ... Hend a good 25 feet from the pin
We play 18 over and over til someone cracks.
Hend is on the green safe with his second, but Que's gone short right and has rolled back into the rough. Advantage Hend
4.30pm
-13 Angelo Que, Scott Hend
-11 Kevin Phelan
Scott Hend, one of the biggest hitters on the Asian Tour, takes a 3 iron off the tee on 18 and smacks it straight down the middle.
But his second shot lands in a bunker ... and it's deeply plugged in there, only the top third showing above the sand - and under the lip.
If Hend can't get up and down in two, Que wins the title. No Filipino has ever won a European Tour event. Hend would be first Aussie to win in Hong Kong since Greg Norman in 1983
But Hend plays a great sand shot to six feet. Putt for a playoff ... and he nails it.
He and Que will fight for the title.
4.15pm
-13 Angelo Que, Scott Hend
-11 Kevin Phelan
Scott Hend has left an 8-foot birdie putt below the hole on 17, so he heads up 18 needing a birdie to avoid a play-off
Some reaction from Angelo Que: "Feels great, my goal was just to come under par. I give it to my putting, I holed everything. That shot on the 18th was the shot of my career.
"But I was just going for par because Scott Hend has a tough couple of holes to play"
Colleagues hard at work:
4pm
-13 Angelo Que, Scott Hend
-11 Kevin Phelan
Wow, Angelo Que has just played an iron from the light rough on the left of the 18th fairway to within six inches of the pin for another birdie, his fourth over the back nine. That ties him on -13 with Scott Hend. Playoff looming? Hend is last out on the course and has it in his own hands with two to play.
Meanwhile, Ernie Els says he struggled with his hip problem this weekend but still hopes to contend at the Venetian Macau Open next week.
"I didn't play this well this weekend, bogies on 15 and 18 yesterday cost me. I had to take care of my right hip, it was causing me a lot of problems, if I get it going I think I'm good enough to win before the end of the year," said the South African
3.45pm
-13 Scott Hend
-12 Angelo Que
-11 Kevin Phelan
Scott Hend has birdied 12 to join Que at the top, then goes past him to -13 with another at the 14th hole.
Though Els has got another birdie on 16, he's coming down 18 -9 and not going to be in with a chance of victory unless the others collapse.
Ireland's Kevin Phelan has finished with three consecutive birdies to end his week on -11
Just been speaking to a very chuffed Lucas Bjerregard, whose -9 should be enough to see him retain his card on his debut season on the European Tour.
"I was really looking forward to seeing what I'm made of and played some great golf," said the Dane, who was 110 in the Race to Dubai, dead last in the list of those who keep their playing rights. "There was a lot at stake and I'm really proud of myself."
3.15pm
-12 Angelo Que
-11 Scott Hend
Angelo Que has got hot, pinging another iron to six feet on 14 to set up his third birdie in a row and he takes the outright lead on -12
3pm
-11 Angelo Que, Scott Hend
Finally a birdie for Els, on 15 - that's his first birdie in 18 holes. Another couple over the last three holes might get him into a playoff, since it looks like nobody's keen to run away with it.
Que puts his third shot to four feet on the par-5 13th for his second birdie in a row to join Hend on -11 ... maybe he's the man to take it home?
Denmark's Lucas Bjerregard is also on a little roll with three birdies in his last four holes and up to -9. Currently the last of 110 players who get to keep their tour cards, this could be a nice little earner.
2.45pm
-11 Scott Hend
Scott Hend birdies 10 to take the outright lead by one ... playing partner Fraser's attempt to follow him goes a shade wide of the hole.
Chawrasia makes a bit of a move, with two birdies in a row on 13 and 14, but a second shot into the bunker on 15 might have derailed that momentum. He makes a good 15-foot putt to save par though.
Kind of the story of the day really, with no-one managing to build a head of steam.
Que follows his bogey with a par on 11 then puts his iron to six feet on 12 for a birdie 2.
2.30pm
Foster's putt from the edge on 9 was well shy and he misses the tricky six-footer back four a double-bogey, wiping out the two birdies he began the day with; he's down to nine under.
Que also drops to after a good 10-foot putt to save bogey on 10 - does anyone want to win this?
Fraser ends his front nine with a par for one-over 35; Hend 34.
2.15pm
-11 Mark Foster
Just as we say Foster's not made a mistake all day, he lashes his iron on nine well wide off the green behind some trees. Very awkward lie on a downward slope next to a path with trees in front of the green.
He chips out but faces another tricky chip from the edge of the green to save par.
Angelo Que birdies 9 to end his front nine one under and move back up to -10, while Fraser holes a testing six-footer on eight to stay there. But uh-oh what's this? Que knocks his second shot on 10 into a stream so will likely be dropping a shot.
Els still can't hole a putt, missing another 10-foot birdie chance on 12.
2pm
-11 Mark Foster
Marcus Fraser's posted back-to-back birdies on 6 and 7 as he tries to undo the damage of a double bogey and a bogey in his first four holes. Back to -10.
Foster's just notched another par in a metronomic front nine.
1.45pm
-11 Mark Foster
Ernie Els has just finished his front nine, and he's going to have to really step it up over the back to have a chance to win this. A bogey and eight pars for him sees him on -7, four behind leader Mark Foster.
Foster is keeping it simple, ticking over well after a great start with two consecutive birdies. Scott Hend is one behind, but so far nobody has pulled out a great display.
Talking to the early starters, they say the course is very tricky today, tough pin positions and a swirling wind.
1.20pm
-11 Mark Foster
Els leaves a putt an inch to the side to miss a birdie chance on 5, then ticks over in par over the next two.
Nobody's on a real streak yet, but Hend has gone backwards with a bogey on 3. Angelo Que's moved up a stroke with birdies on 2 and 4.
Meanwhile the group on eight under is starting to bunch up
Marcus Fraser will hope to win this on the back nine:
12.40pm
-11 Mark Foster
Oh dear. Ernie Els has got himself in trouble on the par-5 third, blasting his drive somewhere in the direction of Shenzhen to lose his ball. He's playing 3 off the tee. His fifth shot from off the green goes well past the hole, but he makes the bogey putt to drop to -7
Everybody has now started their round, and leaders Marcus Fraser and Scott Hend are taking the scenic route on hole 1, knocking their balls all over the place.
Mark Foster is off to a good start though, birdie on 1, then he stuns an iron to within three feet on the par-three 2nd to take the lead as Fraser drops two shots on the first.
Hend and Fraser have annoyingly decided to dress identically this morning, how embarrassing.
Meanwhile, confirmation of the tournament's return next year:
12pm
Nothing much to report from the early starters, some of whom are finishing their rounds.
Sweden's Robert Karlberg has made the biggest move of the day, with seven birdies to jump up 36 places to -6.
Ernie Els has just putted on No.1 for par as he tries to haul back leader Marcus Fraser, who tees off in about 15 minutes.
11am
Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the final round of the Hong Kong Open from the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.
It's another glorious day, sun splitting the skies here.
Ernie Els, the biggest name in the field, is sitting on -8 after struggling yesterday, and he's off in about an hour, 11:52, with Raphael Jacquelin.
Three players are on -9 - Angelo Que, Mark Foster, Jbe Kruger - with three others joining Els and Jacquelin on -8: Jyoti Randhawa, Cameron Smith and Javier Colomo.
Stay tuned throughout the day as we bring you regular updates from what's sure to be an exciting climax.
And here's highlights of the day 3 action:
