Scott Hend's hopes of being potentially the fourth Australian thrown into the Presidents Cup mix will rest on a championship tilt at the Fiji International, which will come under the watchful eye of one of Nick Price's assistants.
The Olympian and top-ranked Australian in the Fiji field is intent on making a late pitch for inclusion in the International side – which could already feature Jason Day, Adam Scott and Marc Leishman – for next month's duel with the Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth-led US in New Jersey.
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International captain Price has hinted world No.93 Hend could be a potential captain's pick, provided the 44-year-old can show some form before the September 6 team announcement.
Hend missed the cut by a stroke at last week's US PGA Championship, the final major of the year, but has flown straight to the Pacific for the Fiji International at the Vijay Singh-designed Natadola Bay course, to press his Presidents Cup claims.
![Last chance: World No.93 Scott Hend could be a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup, provided the 44-year-old can show ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170821014124im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/x/c/y/h/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gxx8h9.png/1502855209904.jpg)
Canadian and former US Masters hero Mike Weir, one of three green jacket holders in the Fiji field alongside Singh and Angel Cabrera, is one of Price's assistants on the International team and won't have to look far to monitor Hend's claims while playing in the $1.5 million tournament himself.
"I missed the cut by a shot in the PGA; maybe if I had made the cut and then played well at the weekend … I could have gotten some more world ranking points and got further up the ladder," Hend said.
"Pricey said that I'd possibly be a captain's pick if I showed some form and got up there a little bit more. This week, if I can put in a good performance here and go into the rest of the year and the next couple of weeks and play well, I've got a chance of getting a captain's pick in the team.
"Weirsy's here and I think he's one of the vice-captains or assistants to Nick. I'm guessing he'll have a bit of an eye out to see what's going on, who's playing well and what possibilities could become. To play well with one of those guys here is quite important."
Korea's world No.76 Jeunhung Wang is the top-ranked player at the Fiji International and another just outside the automatic 10-man qualification band for the Presidents Cup.
Hend will partner Cabrera and Michael Hendry in a marquee morning pairing during the Fiji International's first round, which is expected to be played in windy conditions on the coastal championship course.
Singh will tee off alongside New Zealander Ryan Fox and Dimi Papadatos in the morning session while Weir, Wang and Brett Rumford will headline the afternoon draw.
Asked about his tactics in the wind, Hend said: "Hit and hope. I always thought it was going to be windy. I've seen the tournament on TV for the last couple of years. It's been quite windy so you sort of expect it. It's what's in front of you. See what's out there and go at it.
"It's been a bit of a funny year. I haven't played as well as I'd like to in the majors, but it's a bit of a steep learning curve. You learn every time you return to one of those things.
"Other than that, I tried to change my schedule a little bit and play a little bit less and it hasn't worked, so I'm going to go back to doing what I've done for the last 20-odd years and play a lot of golf.
"I seem to play a lot better the more I play, and that's why I'm here playing this week and hopefully that pays off towards the end of the year."
Adam Pengilly is covering the Fiji International as a guest of PGA of Australia.
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