QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand – Michael Hendry won a three-way playoff Sunday to capture the New Zealand Open, becoming the first home-grown winner of the tournament since 2003.
The 37-year-old Hendry claimed his sixth professional title, and his third on the PGA Tour of Australasia, when he made par on the first playoff hole, the par-3 18th, while his rivals Brad Kennedy of Australia and Ben Campbell of New Zealand both put their tee shots into a greenside pond.
Hendry closed with a bogey-free 2-under 69 Sunday to finish at 19-under and set the clubhouse lead.
He was joined by Kennedy, who made a double-bogey on his opening hole, but birdied the 17th for an even-par 71.
Campbell, who led at 20-under overnight, joined the sudden-death playoff when he birdied two of the last three holes for a final round of 72.
"It means the world to me," Hendry said. "This is for me, other than winning a major, the biggest tournament that I can win.
"Just to finally get that monkey off our back with a Kiwi winning. I've never been that emotional coming off a golf course before. It was very, very special.
"My game plan today was hit every green that I could and get every putt to the hole and I achieved my game plan pretty well."
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