Golf: Michael Hendry wins Vic Open

Kiwi golfer Michael Hendry. Photo / Getty

New Zealander Michael Hendry is lifting silverware once again, claiming his fourth title on the PGA Tour of Australasia and first in six years.

The Kiwi finished with an even-par 72 to win the men’s Vic Open title by four shots.

Hendry started the final round with a three-shot lead over Australia’s Justin Warren. He had birdies on the first two holes of his final round and at one point led by eight shots. But he mixed three bogeys with three birdies on the first nine played in testing conditions.

Australia’s David Micheluzzi was the big mover Sunday, shooting a three under 69 to move up four places into a lone second place.

Warren shot 76 and dropped back into a third place tie with compatriots Andrew Martin and Tom Power Horan.

The 43-year-old Hendry has been a regular on the Japan Tour for a decade and also has won the New Zealand Open once and PGA twice. His rounds of 64, 62, 69 and 72 gave him a four round tally of 267.

“The last time I won on the Aussie tour was the 2017 New Zealand Open, so it was great to get across the line again,” Hendry said. “Just nice to be feeling fit and proving to myself that I’ve still got it.

“I’m not going to beat the golf course up; I don’t have the length any more. Just being a pretty accurate golfer and pretty good at controlling my ball flight maybe gave me an advantage today because I knew I was going to be able to keep it under the wind more then the guys who hit it long.”

The women’s and men’s Vic Opens are being played concurrently on a 36-hole layout at 13th Beach Golf Links at Barwon Heads, near Geelong in Australia’s Victoria state.

Former No. 1 Jiyai Shin of South Korea mastered windy conditions with a solid one-under 71 to win the women’s event by five shots.

Elsewhere, Ryan Fox finished tied for 17th at the DP World Tour’s Singapore Classic following a final round five-under 67 to finish seven shots behind winner Ockie Strydom of South Africa.

On the PGA Tour, Danny Lee sits in a tie for 50th heading into the final round of the Phoenix Open.