Queenslander Scott Hend has guaranteed himself a pay day of close to $US50,000 after finishing tied for 28th at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters at Taiwan Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei.

Fellow Sunshine State product Andrew Dodt was the best of the Aussies as he finished tied for 12th, eight shots behind Thai winner Suradit Yongcharoenchai, but it is Hend who stands to benefit the most in the long run.

With three missed cuts in his previous three starts, Hend needed to play all four rounds in Taiwan in order to qualify for the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament in China at the end of the month, a feat he accomplished thanks to rounds of 73-70 in challenging conditions.

The last-place finisher at Sheshan International Golf Club last year pocketed a cheque for $US44,000 and Hend said he was delighted to secure his return for the first time since 2017.

“I came here for a reason and that was to complete a full field event for my qualification for the WGC-HSBC Champions,” Hend told Asian Tour Media.

“This week has shown me what I need to work on for my game and hopefully, I can improve on that and bring back my game to Italy next week.

“I’m looking forward to playing in another WGC event in Shanghai at the end of the month.

“Sheshan is a great golf course and I look forward to playing well there.”

With runaway Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond playing in Japan this week Hend made only a slight dent in his sizeable lead in the Habitat for Humanity standings and remains second in the season-long points race.

“Jazz is playing great golf at the moment and I’m not,” Hend conceded, Janewattananond furthering his Presidents Cup claim with a top-five finish at the Tokai Classic.

“I’m just trying to work on getting better and we’ll see how it goes, come the end of the season.”

Dodt’s top-15 finish was his best result in Asia since his win at the Sarawak Championship in August while New South Welshman Jake Higginbottom shot an even-par round of 72 in which he hit just five of 14 fairways but 11 of 18 greens.

South Australian Jason Norris was in contention through 54 holes after a superb 3-under 69 in the third round but four bogeys and two double-bogeys added up to a final round of 80 to be tied for 37th.

None of the Aussies on the Japan Golf Tour could put themselves in contention at the Tokai Classic in Aichi, Brad Kennedy, Dylan Perry and Won Joon Lee all tied for 32nd as South African Shaun Norris completed an emotional victory at Miyoshi Country Club.

Asian Tour
Mercuries Taiwan Masters
Taiwan Golf and Country Club

T12         Andrew Dodt     75-70-70-71—286             $US13,050
T23         Jake Higginbottom          74-71-73-72—290             $8,460
T28         Scott Hend          73-70-77-71—291             $7,650
T37         Jason Norris       74-70-69-80—293             $6,300
54           Terry Pilkadaris 75-70-75-78—298             $2,500
MC         Ben Campbell    72-75—147
MC         Daniel Fox           74-77—151
MC         Zach Murray       76-82—158

Japan Golf Tour
Tokai Classic
Miyoshi Country Club (West Cse), Aichi

T32         Brad Kennedy   73-70-72-72—287             ¥619,666
T32         Dylan Perry         73-72-70-72—287             ¥619,666
T32         Won Joon Lee   70-69-74-74—287             ¥619,666
T59         Michael Hendry                72-74-74-73—293             ¥257,950
MC         David Bransdon                75-73—148
MC         Adam Bland        76-74—150
MC         Anthony Quayle               79-72—151
MC         Brendan Jones  74-77—151