GOLF PROFESSIONAL TOURNEYS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27641, 23 April 1955, Page 11

GOLF PROFESSIONAL TOURNEYS

THREE PLANNED FOR AUCKLAND

FOURTH MAY BE HELD AT PARAPARAUMU

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, April 22. If plans materialise £2BOO will be available to professional golfers at four tournaments—three of them in Auckland and the other at Paraparaumu Beach—which will be held in little more than a fortnight in September and October. An Auckland sports firm yesterday announced that it would hold a three-day tournament for prizes totalling £lOOO at Titirangi. The tournament, on September 29 and 30 and October 1, will precede the New Sealand championship tournament, which will begin at Middlemore, Auckland, on October 5.

The prize-money for the professional events of the national tournament will be £6OO. On the Sunday of the national tournament, a tournament with £2OO in prize-money will be held at Akarana, Auckland, by a motor firm. Three days after the national tournament, another sponsored tournament with prize-money of at least £lOOO is proposed for Paraparaumu Beach by an oil firm. The number of tournaments, easily the greatest for such a short period in New Zealand golf history, enhances the chance of an "invasion” of New Zealand by a team of eight or 10 of the leading Australian professional golfers. The New Zealand Professional Golfers’ Association is carrying its discussion on a proposed New Zealand-South Africa annual professional tournament to the stage of sending a deputation to the, management committee of the New Zealand council to discuss finance.

R. A. Jackson, of Auckland, and N. H. Fuller, of Christchurch, will represent the Professional Golfers’ Association in the discussions, which will be held on Tuesday.

If a basis for the tournament can be reached, South African professionals are prepared to visit New Zealand for this year’s festival of tournaments.

THOMSON SCORES WELL IN VIRGINIA

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) VIRGINIA BEACH,

(Virginia), April 21. Peter Thomson. Australian holder of the British open golf championship, returned a 65, four under scratch, in the first round of the 17;500-dollar Virginia Beach open tournament today. He tied with eight others behind the leaders—Ted Kroll and John Serafin—who had 64’s.

Thomson was 3 under scratch on the outward nine with a 32, and came home in 33, one under scratch. He scored five birdies on the 6065-yard course. Serafin also had five birdies. Kroll had seven birdies.