By V. Krishnaswamy, in Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, February 3: Seasoned Scott Hend (67) showed he is on his way back with a tied-sixth finish at the Saudi International at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in Jeddah on Sunday.

The result also equalled his best finish since the runner-up place at the Omega European Masters in the September 2017.

Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson (67) and Li Haotong (69) slugged it out on the back nine of the Saudi International, before the world number three American pulled off a birdie-birdie finish despite going all over desert to emerge a two-shot winner. Johnson was 19-under-par, Li was two shots behind and Tom Lewis (65), who with five birdies in first five holes got into the frame for a while, ended third at 16-under-par.

Another young star, Australian Min Woo Lee, who is playing only his second event as a pro finished the weekend 63-63 to be fourth at 15-under-par.

Hend closed with three birdies on the last four holes for his 67 and ended the week at tied-sixth alongside Joost Luiten (63), Bryson DeChambeau (65), Ian Poulter (66) and Ryan Fox (68).

Justin Harding turned on his putting machine for the second Sunday in a row and shot 63 to vault to tied-11^th alongside Malaysian Gavin Green (67) at 10-under-par. Harding’s 63 this time was seven-under-par as against nine-under-par last week.

David Lipsky (67) was tied-24^th, while India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Australian Jake McLeod (68) were tied-34^th.

Good finish for Hend, Harding and Green

Hend would be pleased that his comeback was coming along well. After missing out some weeks of golf due to injuries, which he battled with much of 2018, a tied-sixth, would do his confidence wonders.

“I am just started to getting back. I am working, the gym, eating well and all and trying to get back to where I was,” said Hend. “Now I am off to Australia for Vic Open and Perth Sixes and then a break and after that it will be Oman and Qatar and then Malaysia Indian Open. I want to get back to where I was.”

Hend was 59^th in the world and playing well in 2016 before injuries laid him low.

Harding was happy with his two weeks in the Middle-East.

“I got into the Dubai event through the Asian Tour and now here tied-11 is great. I have to get these rounds (63 in Dubai and Saudi) earlier to put myself in a  position to have a chance to win. My game is looking good and I played solid, missed a few but also made a lot of putts. I really enjoyed myself over these last couple of weeks and now it is off to Australia for Vic Open and Perth and I am excited about the format in Perth. I will go to India, unless I get to WGC-Matchplay, but I need some more good weeks for that.”

India’s sole player to make the cut, Gaganjeet Bhullar hit the ball very well and gave himself a lot of chances on the final but never really got on top of these greens through the week. From being two-under-par through the first five holes, he ended even-par 70 and finish four-under-par for the week and in tied-34^th place. He finished at even par 70 a four-under-par 276 for the week.

“I hit the ball so well this week, but just did not get any putts to fall. Sure, they were grainy and not as firm, but that is to expected on a new and young course. However the conditions were the same for all, so I did not make it.” Next on for Bhullar is the ISPS Handa Super 6 in Perth.

Johnson thrilled to win after battling with Haotong

“It feels really good. Any time you can win a professional golf tournament, no matter where it is in the world, it’s a big win. I’m honoured to be the champion, and I’m very pleased with the win,” said Johnson. “I’m heading back to the States tonight, and you know, I’ve got three big weeks in a row. I’ve got Pebble, L.A. and México coming up. You know, to win here, obviously, the game is in good form, and I’m heading into three really big weeks for me.”

When Johnson and Li finished 16-under-par on Saturday evening, five clear of third-placed Lewis, it seemed it would be a two-horse race. But no soon had Lewis got out of the gates, he was on a tear.

When action got into the back nine, Li was one ahead. That’s when Johnson seemed to switch gears. He pulled ahead bombing drives and finding greens even from wasteland and bunkers and holing the putts. He birdied the 11^th and 12^th and moved ahead of the Chinese star. The second shot to within four feet for a birdie on 12^th was one of the crucial ones for Johnson.

Li added to his woes by not finding fairways and missing putts. He bogeyed 13^th and 14^th and suddenly Johnson was three clear. Li did not throw in the towel. He birdied 15^th which Johnson parred after missing a makeable putt.

Then as Johnson found water on 16^th another twist loomed large. A double bogey seemed likely but Johnson made an up-and-down from 150-yards for a good bogey to stay one ahead after 16 holes.

“That birdie on the 12^th and then the up-and-down for bogey on 16^th were momentum changers,” said Johnson later.

Another huge drive and a perfect pitch set up a Johnson birdie on 17^th while Li went into the wasteland and made par to fall two behind. Johnson again smashed a huge drive and put his second shot on the green for an eagle chance of which the ball stopped one roll short. He tapped in for birdie. Li, too, got a birdie and that helped him to sole second.