AAP
New Zealand golfer Michael Hendry claimed the clubhouse lead during the wind-marred final round of the Australian Open at The Lakes.
After a three-hour suspension in play, Hendry overcame gusts of up to 80kph to sign off with a dogged one-under 71 and finish with a 72-hole total of even-par 278.
With the leaders only having just teed off a few shots ahead, Hendry was hoping his score held up if the brutal conditions persisted late on Sunday afternoon.
Veteran Nick O'Hern, who took a triple-bogey seven on the 10th hole immediately before the suspension, bogeyed the last hole to finish at one over for the championship following his last-round 72.
Knowing how vital it was to post a number, Brett Rumford was minutes earlier too distraught to talk after taking a double-bogey on the last hole to also finish at one over.
A par on the 184-metre par-3 18th would have left Rumford in red figures - but the West Australian three-putted after missing the green.
Rumford's last missed putt was inside a metre.
Tournament boss Trevor Herden was remaining hopeful of avoiding a Monday finish despite the lengthy delay earlier in the round.
Officials had no alternative but to halt proceedings before midday when fierce winds knocked down a television tower near the 18th green.
The southerly change also caused scoreboards to topple over, balls to move on the fairways and greens and sand to be blown from bunkers and into the galleries.
After announcing the earlier stoppage, Herden said player and spectator safety was paramount.
"Obviously there's nothing we can do to protect anybody other than to get them out of danger," he said.
"We have an obligation to the public and the players and then there's the golf course, which at that point became unplayable.
"We were managing very, very well through the 60km (wind) zone but once we got to 80, we all know that no golf course can defend 80 kilometre winds.
"We had to suspend play ... we would want to finish this championship and if it means tomorrow morning, then it means tomorrow morning.
"But we want to make use of every hour of daylight we have."
Herden described the conditions as "brutal".
Taking advantage of easier early morning conditions, golfing great Tom Watson signed off with a fine closing three-under-par 69 and predicted the mounting winds would make the title battle a lottery.
The eight-times major winner finished his campaign at five-over after rounds of 78-68-78-69 and suspected a 72-hole total of about three or four under par would be enough to win the Open.
"A good (round) score is even par," Watson said.
"It will be interesting to see what happens. It's a really strong wind."
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