KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The first round of the CIMB Classic began innocuously for Scott Hend, an Asian Tour veteran and former PGA TOUR player. He arrived for his 9:30 a.m. tee time and set off on the first of two rounds with Englishman Ian Poulter and American Patrick Rodgers. But on the second tee, he got a reminder of how PGA TOUR players can make a positive impression with fans every time they tee it up, courtesy of Rodgers. “On the second hole, he [Rodgers] walked off the tee and said, ‘This is going to sound a bit weird, but when I was 10, you gave me a signed glove, and it was the first thing I ever got from a professional golfer.’� It was a gesture that wasn’t forgotten. “I’ll never forget it. I still have it at home,� Rodgers said. Hend played two full seasons on the PGA TOUR in 2004 and 2005, before returning to the Asian Tour, where he is a nine-time winner. His most recent win in 2016 put him in third place on the all-time wins list on the Asian Tour and he won the Order of Merit that year. In those two seasons on the PGA TOUR, Hend twice played in THE NORTHERN TRUST, then played at Westchester Country Club. It was at that event either in 2004 or 2005 that Rodgers says Hend gave him a glove. It was an act that meant a lot to Rodgers, who said he was a shy kid, and that he remembers what it felt like to have Hend take the time to come over to him and make his day. That simple gesture helps Rodgers keep perspective while playing on the PGA TOUR, and reminds him that even the small things can change someone’s life. “It can have a huge impact. It’s maybe easy to forget when we are out here, since it’s our job, but you can make a real difference with the people that come to watch you play.� Following Thursday’s round at TPC Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Hend took to Twitter to remark on the moment between the two players, and Rodgers replied.
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