A blistering final round 64 has seen New Zealand’s Michael Hendry take out his maiden Japan Tour title in the first event of the 2015 season.

Hendry, a PGA Tour of Australasia regular, began the final round three shots behind leader Hyun-Woo Ryu but started well to make the turn 2-under par before catching fire on the back nine.

With five birdies over the final nine holes Hendry posted a sizzling 31 to scorch the Token Tado CC in Nagoya in 7-under-par, his 64 the equal best round not only of the week but his Japan Tour career.

Hendry is playing his third year in Japan where his previous best finish has been T6.

While contending at last year’s Australian PGA Championship the 36-year-old revealed he had struggled to find form in the latter half of 2014 after the birth of his first child but said he felt 2015 would see an improvement in his game.

That prediction came true with four consecutive rounds in the 60’s this week, Hendry was never outside the top-10 after any of the four rounds.

Brad Kennedy was next best of the growing list of Australasians plying their trade in Japan, the Queenslander finishing T19 ahead of Kurt Barnes (T32) and Won Joon Lee and David Smail (T38).

Scott Strange (72^nd) was the only other to make the cut with Adam Bland, Brendan Jones, Matthew Guyatt, Matthew Griffin and Steve Conran all missing the weekend.

Jones, a 10 time winner on the Tour, will be particularly disappointed with his performance after losing much of last year to recovery from wrist surgery and expecting better things in 2015.

Matt Griffin will also be frustrated with his play in his first event since earning a Japan Tour card last year.

The two time PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia winner made a decent start with an opening round of 1-over -par 72 but struggled in the second round with a 7-over 78 to miss the cut by six shots.

Related

News / Hendry wins on Japan Golf Tour 19.04.15
Link / Michael Hendry player profile (PGA Tour of Australasia)