New Zealand golfer Michael Hendry has ended a nine-year drought on the Japan Golf Tour winning the For the Players By the Players event Gunma, a year after his cancer diagnosis.
After being diagnosed with Leukaemia in April last year, Hendry has fought his way back and has two championship victories since the ill-health news.
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He says he’s thankful just to be able to compete again.
“I'm really happy. It's been a long time since I won at Token. There have been chances to win before, but I haven't been able to seize them, so I'm happy to have won this time.
“I'm truly grateful for this second opportunity in my golfing journey and the chance to return to professional competition. My current goal is to enjoy golf and cherish time with my family.”
The nine-time Charles Tour winner began the final round with a four-point advantage in the unique format, where an eagle is awarded five points, a birdie earns two points, while a bogey loses you a point, and a double loses you three.
He started well, making an eagle at the par 5 second but bogeyed the par 3 fifth, going out in one-under and four points. Hendry made another two birdies and bogeys coming home, which was enough to secure another victory after his diagnosis.
Hendry finished the week hitting the most greens in regulation and on 38 points, one ahead of Japan's Hideto Kobukuro.