Tim Clark and Scott Hend share first round lead at the Australian Masters

November 27, 2008

SOUTH Africa's Tim Clark enjoyed the calm after the storm to share the opening round lead with Queensland's Scott Hend in the Australian Masters at Huntingdale.

Big-hitting 35-year-old Hend led for most of the day after posting an impressive five-under-par 67 - including six birdies and a bogey - in humid, blustery morning conditions on Thursday.

Clark's afternoon round lasted much longer - interrupted by a three-hour storm delay - and had more ups and downs than Hend's steady showing.

The world No.43, who was runner-up in the US Masters two years ago, joined Hend in the lead after 10 holes, including eagles on the downwind par five seventh and 10th holes.

But he slipped back with bogeys on the par four 11th and 13th and was two shots off the pace when the storm hit.

Lightning lit the skies and intermittent heavy rain and a brief hailstorm pounded the course.

But when play eventually resumed, calm weather and softened greens made for ideal conditions and Clark capitalised with birdies on the 15th and 16th on what he described as a “totally different course”.

“I was starting to drop shots before they called us off and I was lucky to come back out and make a few birdies,” he said.

“It's always tough to go out and finish off a round after such a delay, but it worked out for me.”

Four players - Englishman Daniel Wardrop, Queensland's Chris Downes and Michael Wright and Victorian Anthony Brown - were tied for third on three-under.

Downes, who had five holes to play when failing light brought a halt to play - was among about a third of the field needing to complete their rounds early on Friday.

But the course had the better of several big names.

Weekend galleries are unlikely to get to see American drawcard John Daly, unless he can bounce back from a four-over-par 76.

That score was matched by Daly's playing partner and three-time winner Craig Parry, while Victorian Stuart Appleby had 74.

Townsville-born Hend, one of golf's biggest hitters, used that attribute to advantage in places, including a 395m drive on the par five 10th to set up one of his six birdies.

But he was selective with his aggression.

“The way the holes run on the golf course you could drive it into the greenside traps on a few of the par fours,” he said.

“On the other par fours you have to be careful back into the wind - it was aggressive and defensive.”

Hend was looking to build on his good start in the event, co-sanctioned by the European Tour, to earn a full-time berth in Europe next year.

Otherwise, he will return to the Asian Tour, where he has played the past two years.
His ultimate aim is to return to the US PGA Tour, where he played fulltime in 2004 and 2005.

He failed at recent tilts at both the US and European qualifying schools, citing an arm tendon injury sustained 13 weeks ago lifting tiles in his house in Florida as a contributing factor in both missed opportunities.

“The doctor told me to take nine weeks off and I said to him that it was impossible at this time of year,” Hend said.

“Before the US tour school I took two weeks off and did not touch a club, obviously I missed there.

“ ... Then I missed in Europe because it was minus-three degrees and if anyone has had tendon problems the cold does not do too much for you.”


APGA: Australian Masters
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
T1 Scott Hend AUS F -5 67 67
T1 Tim Clark RSA F -5 67 67
T3 Anthony Brown AUS F -3 69 69
T3 Chris Downes AUS 13 -3 0
T3 Michael Wright AUS F -3 69 69
T3 Daniel Wardrop ENG F -3 69 69
T7 Simon Griffiths ENG F -2 70 70
T7 Peter Senior AUS F -2 70 70
T7 Vernon Sexton-Finck AUS F -2 70 70
T7 Daniel Chopra SWE F -2 70 70
T7 Andrew Dodt AUS 15 -2 0
T7 Paul Sheehan AUS F -2 70 70
T7 Anthony Summers AUS 15 -2 0
T7 Ewan Porter AUS F -2 70 70