A week ago he was pumped to be partnering Wade Ormsby as Team Australia at the GolfSixes tournament in Portugal; now Scott Hend will simply be happy to make it to the first tee on time.

Both Hend and Ormsby are making their second appearance at the innovative European Tour event with Hend partnering with Sam Brazel to qualify for the final against Denmark in 2017 while Ormsby and Brazel were defeated by South Korea in the playoff for third and fourth last year.

To be played at Oitavos Dunes in Cascais for the first time, Team Australia has been drawn in the same group as France, Wales and a German women’s team with the top two teams in the group to advance to the knockout stage.

But for Hend, merely making it to Portugal has been an adventure in itself.

The Queenslander’s Twitter timeline read like the script for every professional golfer’s idea of a horror movie with missed flights, missed connections and endless hours spent lining up in international airports.

Two weeks ago Hend was left without his bags for two days and then was slugged another $1,200 to return home early to Florida after missing the cut at the Made in Denmark tournament.

Next week is the real deal in Portugal partnering with @wadeormsby in the @GolfSixes…. #GoAussies #TeamAustralia#Watchus@privateestatefx @RaimondiGolf @EuropeanTour ⛳️‍♂️ #Smokenit#Lookout#BOOM pic.twitter.com/wTcCosZDwQ

— Scott Hend (@hendygolf) May 31, 2019

But the journey back to Europe was where the trouble really began.

A direct flight from Philadelphia to Lisbon was re-routed through Heathrow in London, adding essentially an extra day of travel time that Hend had not accounted for.

Upon arrival in London, Hend was unable to make the connecting flight to Portugal which will mean that he arrives at the course on the eve of the tournament and with little time to become familiar with the layout.

In spite of all the travel anguish, Hend was able to maintain both perspective and his sense of humour.

“Flights have been good once going…. it’s the going and the baggage that has sucked,” Hend posted in a response on Twitter.

“All part of it… Wouldn’t have it any other way. Keeps the blood pumping,” he added in a separate response.

The other Aussies in action in Europe this week are Ben Eccles and Jordan Zunic who are playing the Challenge Tour’s Swiss Challenge in Lucerne, Switzerland and Peter Fowler and Peter O’Malley at the Arras Open Senior Hauts de France on the Staysure Tour.

Well this re route has messed up my plans for tomorrow with @wadeormsby. I was intending to be coming in hot, all jacked up on Mountain Dew and smash the course apart with my partner. Guess I’ll be jacked up on English Breakfast from BA instead. @EuropeanTour @GolfSixes ⛳️‍♂️‍♂️

— Scott Hend (@hendygolf) June 4, 2019