For the fourth time in five events Michael
Hendry has finished inside the top-5, a fourth place finish at the Japan PGA
Championship signaling his fifth consecutive top-10 result.

Hendry has been one of the Tour’s most
consistent performers since missing the cut at the Kansai Open in May, his
results since reading T5, 2, T5, T7 and 4.

A one time winner on the Tour, the New
Zealander has jumped to fifth on the 2016 money list and is on track for his
highest finish in four years on the circuit.

Hendry and Brad Kennedy have been the
standout performers in Japan this year and Kennedy was also impressive at this
week’s Japan PGA event.

The Queenslander finished just one spot
behind Hendry on the leaderboard, his 10-under total good for a share of fifth
place.

Like Hendry, Kennedy has been consistently
good since May with four top-10 results, three of those top-5, since missing
the cut at The Crowns tournament.

Kennedy and Hendry led the way in what was
good week for the Australasian contingent, seven of the eight who teed up
Thursday making the cut.

Won Joon Lee was next best at T13 while
Brendan Jones (T25), defending champion Adam Bland (T37), Scott Strange (T48)
and Matt Griffin (T53) all survived the 36 hole cut.

Kurt Barnes was the only Australian not to
play the weekend, the Newcastle native missing out by a single stroke.

While not at the pointy end of the leader
board at the end of the week Bland will be pleased with his finish to the week
as he defended his only Japan Tour title to date.

After a rocky start, the left hander
finished strong with his only sub 70 score of the week coming Sunday when a
4-under 68 lifted him 10 places up the standings.