Australia bush fires: Scott Hend is a man on a mission at Hong Kong Open as each birdie and eagle helps stricken animals; Club vows to match each dollar
- The 2014 Hong Kong Open winner will donate A$100 for each birdie and A$300 for each eagle he shoots at Fanling this week
- The 46-year-old says the animals of Australia are what drew him to golf as a caddie for his father when he was a child
He was surrounded by fascinating creatures unique to his homeland – koala bears, kangaroos, kookaburras and cockatoos among others. It was the animals that inspired him to play golf and he is hoping to use his sporting prowess to help the fauna affected by Australia’s devastating bush fires, which have killed an estimated half a billion animals over the past few months.
“When you talk about the victims, we’re not talking about the human element, because us as people have insurance and government grants, which will help those who have lost their houses and livelihoods,” said Hend, who will donate A$100 (US$69) for each birdie and A$300 for each eagle he shoots at this week’s Hong Kong Open to Australia’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
“Hopefully I’ll make a lot of them [birdies and eagles]. That’s what I’m going to do this week. There are many others doing a lot of stuff for the people of Australia but I want to go a different way and help out the wildlife in Australia because houses we can rebuild.
“But animals ... the decimation of the animals, it may take 20 years to recover the population of that area,” said Hend, whose donations will be matched dollar for dollar by the Hong Kong Golf Club.
Various estimates have the number of animals killed between 500 million and up to 1.2 billion, if insects, bats and frogs are counted. Hend’s home state, New South Wales, is the worst hit for animal deaths, according to some reports.
More than 6 million hectares have been burned in Victoria and NSW, including rainforest that was considered too wet to be affected. Scientist say the true number of animals killed will not be known until months after the fires are put out.
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“The reason I took up golf was because I went out on the golf course with my dad and I saw the koala bears and I saw the kangaroos, I saw the kookaburras and I saw the cockatoos and unfortunately their habitat and the animals themselves have been decimated,” added Hend, an Asian Tour regular who won the 2014 Hong Kong Open after a play-off.
“I used to caddie for my dad and that’s what attracted me to golf in the first place. That’s really what drew me to the golf course and kept my interest as a child.”
Hend raised A$1,000 in the first round with five birdies, finishing the day even par 70 after also collecting three bogeys and a double bogey.
Hong Kong Golf club captain William Doo Jnr said: “As soon as we heard about Scott contributing towards helping animals affected by the devastating bushfire crisis in Australia, we were keen to get involved and match his donation.
“Scott is a long-time friend of the Club and, of course, a past Hong Kong Open champion. We’re wishing him the very best and hope he makes a great many birdies and eagles over the week to help raise funds for this very worthy cause.”
