Michael Hendry became the first New Zealander to win the New Zealand Open since Mahal Pearce in 2003 when he defeated fellow Kiwi Ben Campbell and Australian Brad Kennedy in a playoff at Millbrook Resort.
The Japan Tour professional is in remission but still has a way to go in his battle, with the cancer still present in his bone marrow and a stem-cell transplant needed if a donor can be found.
Hendry has an outstanding playing record in the Queenstown region having also won the NZPGA Championship on two occasions at the Hills.
He is a successful player on the Japan Tour, where he has won once and earned more than NZ$2.5 million in his six years there. Hendry is aiming to return next season.
The former New Zealand cricketer turned professional in golf in 2005 and has played on the PGA Tour of Australasia, Japan Golf Tour, and the OneAsia Tour.
He won the 2010 Indonesia Open on the OneAsia Tour and finished third on the OOM while in April 2015, the Kiwi won for the first time on the Japan Golf Tour at the Token Homemate Cup with a one-stroke victory.
Check out the final round highlights from the 2017 New Zealand Open
