Scott Hend has broken a run of ducks at the Qatar Masters, making the cut for the first time in three attempts at the second of the European Tour’s three desert swing events.

The big hitting Queenslander opened the week with his best ever round at the Doha Golf Club, his 3-under 69 the first time he had broken 70 at the layout in five tries.

But while he will be pleased to have ended his run of outs it still proved a difficult week for the 43-year-old who didn’t manage another under par round on his way to a T60 finish.

Hend comes into 2017 off his best season as a Professional and while his result this week is nothing to write home about it continues to show the incremental improvements in his game.

Hend and Ryan Fox were the only Australasians to make the cut, Fox making his Qatar debut after earning his full playing rights via the secondary Challenge Tour last year.

The 30-year-old New Zealander was on track for a good finish but a disastrous Sunday ent him plummeting down the leaderboard.

At 7-under and inside the top 20 through three rounds Fox had an inexplicable meltdown Sunday with four double bogeys on his card and just two birdies. The disappointing 78 saw him freefall to T64.

Sam Brazel, Jason Scrivener, Wade Ormsby and Nathan Holman all missed the weekend.