£500 EVENT AT MIRAMAR

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27896, 18 February 1956, Page 3

£500 EVENT AT MIRAMAR

STRONG FIELD OF N.Z. GOLFERS A talented field of 60 will contest the £5OO sponsored golf tournament at the Miramar course on February 25 and 26. The tournament aims principally at stimulating golf among the New Zealand-born nd New Zealandresident profes ionals, and the best professionals frcm both islands have been attracted to it. An interesting feature is that every professional participating will receive at least £lO appearance money. The first prize will be £5O, the second £25, third £l5. and fourth £10 —all in addition to the appearance payment. Not only are the country’s most distinguished present-day professionals competing, but great figures pf other days, notably A. J. Shaw, so many times New Zealand open and professional title-holder, will contest this 72hole medal event, possibly more for sentimental reasons than for financial gain. The northern nrofessional, F. X. Buckler, is general? • conceded to be the best professional prospect, although the Australian. J. Kelly, who will be in Auckland for three years, and who is eligible to compete under P.G.A. rules, on the form he showed in New Zealand tournaments about the time of the last national meeting, obviously has the ability to succeed. About 20 leading amateur golfers have also been invited, but some doubt still exists about the entry of one or two. D. L. Woon. R. H. Glading, and S. G. Jones have been reluctantly compelled to decline invitations, and R. J. Charles enters camp on the day the tournament opens. The amateurs and 11 junior players will round off the field and there is every reason to suppose that they will extend the professionals thoroughly. A. R. Timms, of Otago, who competed with such distinction in the Commonwealth tournament at St. Andrews, and R. D. Kearns. Canterbury’s South Island champion, are two who should extend the North Island amateurs. B. M. Silk (Wanganui), W. G. Horne (Wellington), *W. W. Smith (Auckland), J. S. Hamilton Gibbs (Miramar), and J. D. Durry (Hutt) are in the field, but any one of these could be headed by two juniors—I. Harvey, the brilliant young Timaru player, who has joined the Hutt Club, and who, it is thought, may ultimately become a professional, and E. J. MacDougall who as a pupil at the Pukekohe High School caused a stir at the 1955 national championships at Middlemore when he shot a one-under-scratch 71 in the difficult conditions of the second round. So that the junior players will benefit particularly from the tournament, they will be paired on the opening day with the professionals. It would be perfectly in order to suggest that the professionals in turn might benefit.