Hataji makes history at NZ Open
It was a putt Scott Hend would likely back himself to drill with his eyes closed.
However, with the chance to force a sudden-death playoff for the New Zealand Open crown, the 50-year-old Queenslander had his three-footer burn the edge and lip out.
Watching anxiously from the nearby scorer’s tent at Arrowtown’s Millbrook Resort, Japan’s Takahiro Hataji could not believe his eyes.
Forget about trudging back to the 18th tee to do it all again, it was time to celebrate his first career win, and a $334,800 pay day.
In bagging the Brodie Breeze Trophy, he also became the first Asian winner in the 103-year history of the tournament, ending Australia’s stranglehold on the trophy.
"I'm happy, but he played very well, so when his putt missed I also feel a bit sorry for him,“Hataji said through a translator shortly after his one-stroke win was sealed.
"I think there will be lots of messages coming from Japan that I will have to reply to, and I'm just going to enjoy the feeling of success."
Having entered the final round tied for third, a stroke behind Hend and 2016 winner Matt Griffin, Hataji carded a blemish-free 67 yesterday, and looked to be in control with a two-stroke lead down the stretch.
However, after catching the right-hand side fairway bunker on the par-5 17th, he was forced to play it safe and lay-up, eventually settling for par.
He also made par on 18, moments after he heard the crowd at 17 roar when Hend nailed a second straight birdie to pull even at 17-under the card.
A playoff seemed inevitable when Hend, who hit some brilliant wedges on the day, found the back edge of the green on the final hole.
In fact, he didn’t slide his lengthy birdie putt all that far right off the cup, but the potential winner dribbled just a little further than he would have liked.
Still, it was a putt the 50-year-old, who has won 15 times around the world, would expect to knock in.
It was not to be. Ensuring Hend will no doubt replay it ample times in his head when he drives through the night to Christchurch to catch a flight to Asia for a sponsorship commitment.
Having led for the majority of the $2 million tournament, Hend did earn $189,720 for finishing outright second, one shot ahead of Kiwi Josh Geary and fellow Australians Anthony Quayle and Griffin.
Geary had enjoyed a share of the lead earlier in the day, raising hopes of a first Kiwi winner since Michael Hendry triumphed in 2017.
But he was left to rue a couple of bogeys on the back nine as increasingly breezy conditions made the going tough, eventually finishing the week with a 69 to improve to 15-under par.
“It came down to putting, and I really didn’t make anything,” Geary said.
“It was tough, very tough. Just a shame because I hit the ball well all week but got nothing going. It was very, very tough [conditions], though, which is why the scoring wasn’t out the gate today.”
Hawke’s Bay amateur Zack Swanwick finished tied for 10th to win the Bledisloe Cup, the trophy for the leading amateur in the field.