Kuala Lumpur: Mithun Perera’s dream of breaking into the higher echelons of Asian golf received a huge boost as he claimed his career’s best finish at the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic on Sunday.

The promising Sri Lankan talent finished tied second at the weather-shortened US$400,000 event, one shot behind the winner Scott Hend of Australia but takes pride with his best result on the Asian Tour.

After turning professional in 2010 and plying his trade on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last year, Perera made full use of his invite to the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic.

“I’m really happy because I played really good golf,” said Perera. “I don’t have a card on the Asian Tour but got a spot through an invite and I would like to thank Kyi Hla Han (the Asian Tour Executive Chairman) for giving me the chance to play in this tournament.”

Perera, whose father Nandasena was a famous name on the old Asian circuit during the 1980s and 1990s, said he struggled with distance as he averaged 275 yards off the tees while Hend averaged booming drives of 316 yards.

“It was tough for me because I’m not a long hitter and I was losing distance because of the rain. I had to rely a lot on my long irons to give myself a chance of scoring. It wasn’t easy but I’m happy with how I played,” said the 25-year-old, currently in 11th place on the Order of Merit.

Perera, who has yet to miss a single cut on the Asian Tour this year, hopes this result will lead him on the same pathway as his friend and Asian Tour winner Siddikur of Bangladesh.

“Siddikur has the same style of play as I do. We’re not very long but we keep it straight and rely on our short game. He’s doing really well on the Asian Tour and I’m happy for him. He gives me inspiration.

“We are close friends and whenever we meet, we always discuss about his experiences on the Asian Tour,” added Perera, who is a three-time national amateur champion and also winner of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in China in 2009.

The story of the week belonged to the big-hitting Hend, who after a four-week break, came charging to a second Asian Tour title with a new arsenal of golf clubs.

“I went back to Florida and got myself a brand new set of clubs, new wedges and a brand new three-wood. Everything is brand new except for my putter and driver. I spend the past four weeks practicing and hitting like 400 to 500 balls a day.

“I needed intensive practice to get used to the clubs and it was nice to go back and see my family while getting some hard practice,” said Hend, the second Australian to win on the Asian Tour this year.

His victory pushed him up to fourth place on the Order of Merit with winnings of US$92,059. Jbe Kruger of South Africa, winner of the Avantha Masters in India earlier this year, continues to lead the money list with US$396,669.

Marcus Fraser of Australia lies in second place on US$109,380 while Prom Meesawat of Thailand is in third place with winnings of US$108,311.

Anirban Lahiri of India (US$84,227) and David Lipsky (US$73,530) of the United States, both winners on the Asian Tour this year, lie in fifth and sixth place respectively.

The Asian Tour will travel to the Maybank Malaysian Open this week, staged at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from April 12 to 15.