Golf: Hendry poised to strike in PGA

Hendry shone yesterday as he scored a five-under-par third round 67 to move into contention.

For several years, Michael Hendry made himself at home on the golf courses of Australia.

The burly New Zealander was a regular at the pointy end of leaderboards across the Australasian tour before deciding to switch to the more lucrative Japanese tour this year.

The move has brought financial benefits, but it also came at a cost.

While Hendry was toiling away by himself, staying in what he calls "shoebox" hotel rooms, his wife was at home in Auckland with their newborn daughter Madison.

The time away took its toll, and Hendry left Japan as soon as he'd earned enough to retain his tour card.

It couldn't be more different for the 35-year-old this weekend at the Australian PGA Championship.

Back at a familiar course, Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, with his wife and daughter staying with him, Hendry shone yesterday as he scored a five-under-par third round 67 to move into contention.

He's two shots behind world No 3 Adam Scott and fellow Australians Wade Ormsby and Scott Strange.

Another Kiwi, David Smail, was two shots further back in seventh after a third-round 71.

"My form's been a little bit below-par, for me anyway, over the last few months," said Hendry, who made five birdies in his bogey-free round.

"It makes such a difference when you're happy off the golf course to what you can do on the golf course."

And while he still believes Australia has the best golf courses in the world, Hendry is still planning a return to Japan next year.

"My mind wasn't really on my golf in Japan. Luckily I managed to keep my card pretty early in the year," he said. "Hopefully by the time I go back to Japan next year, it won't be such a burden having to leave them."

Scott will be an overwhelming public favourite to claim back-to-back titles today. The 34-year-old 2013 US Masters champion could have built an advantage of his own yesterday but could only make four birdies with one bogey in his round as several attempted birdie putts failed to fall.

"It was tough conditions so on a day like [yesterday] it's less frustrating to see a few slide by because most people are struggling, scoring wasn't great ... I kinda got away with that," he said.

"If that's the case [today] then I'll probably not win. The winner ends up making putts so I need to make a few today."

-AAP