New Zealand’s Michael Hendry has backed up
an impressive T5 last start with a runner-up finish at the Japan Tour’s JGT
Championship.

Hendry was one of only nine players to
break par on the difficult Shishido Hills course on the final day, his 2-under
69 an impressive score bettered by only one player, eventual winner Yosuke
Tsokada.

Tsokada’s Sunday score of 5-under 66 was
three shots better than any player in the field and after a close call at last
week’s Mizuno Open, Hendry will know he could easily have two titles to his
name in the past fortnight.

After opening with a 76, Hendry was a model
of consistency over the closing three rounds steadily climbing the leaderboard
each day with three consecutive rounds of 69.

With the winning score coming at 2-under
for the 72 holes it was testament to Hendry’s play that he was under par for
the final three rounds.

South Australia’s Adam Bland finished in a
share of third just one stroke behind Hendry, four straight birdies to finish
his final round seeing him to even par for the week.

Like Hendry, Bland has struggled to find
his best form since posting a maiden Japan Tour win in 2015 but this week’s
result will boost his confidence.

He is now second of the Australasians on
the 2016 money list, sitting at 15^th and seven places behind Hendry
who has moved to eighth.

Queensland’s Brad Kennedy maintained his
consistent form of the past two seasons with a T8 finish, one of five
Australasians to make the 36-hole cut.

Matthew Griffin (T40) and Brendan Jones
(T50) also qualified for the weekend while Kurt Barnes, Scott Strange, Won Joon
Lee and Aaron Townsend were all outside the cut line which fell at 8-over.