GOLF Thomson Sets Record In First Round Of Open

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29365, 18 November 1960, Page 8

GOLF Thomson Sets Record In First Round Of Open

(From Our Own Reporter) INVERCARGILL, November 17. Playing his practised way around Otatara for a new course record of 68, P. W. Thomson, of Australia, led the field by two strokes at the end of the first round of the New Zealand open championship today. Thomson’s form was so good in the foursomes yesterday that his fine score was expected of him. The only real surprise was that his close friend and on-course enemy, K. D. G. Nagle, of Australia, was not in second place. That distinction fell to the young Auckland player, R. R. Newdick, whose 70 was one under scratch. Nagle and the Manawatu professional, M. J. Busk, share third place on 71, and one stroke behind are the new professional, R. J. Charles, E. A. Southerden, of Napier, and the Christchurch amateur, C. W. Caldwell.

It was a day of burping sunshine, but those who started beyond about the middle of the field were handicapped by a freshening breeze which was a distinct hazard on the boundary holes.

Thomson’s round excepted, the scoring reflected accurately the difficulty of recovering from errors at Otatara by scoring subsequent birdies. Nearly all the greens are hard to get at, and there are some very long fours. Most shots off the line are strictly penalised, and the greens, while true, are extremely fast and are becoming faster, thus requiring the most delicate judgement. At nearly any golf tournament, the tales of missed putts would fill a very large book, but today ■ scores of players rushed hurriedly off to practise putting as soon as their rounds were over: the practice green fairly swarmed with penitent putters. A psychiatrist’s couch might have been of more value. But the many spectators found nothing but enjoyment in the lush turf, the warm sunshine, the true notes of the bellbirds, and, quite often, the quality of the golf. After what had amounted to a frolic in the foursomes it was all business with Thomson today. He looked masterful from the moment he began. His pitch to the first .green, a bowl-shaped valley, argued excellent form. It ran up and around and down, and finished 2ft from the cup. Three More Birdies He had two more birdlies before the turn, going out in 33, and although he three-putted the long thirteenth, he had another birdie at the twelf th to bring him home in scratch 35. Thomson’s timing was beautiful. His length' and control, particularly with his irons, were exemplary, and only the greens reduced his stature a shade. There he was clearly working. It would have been one of his really great days had he been able to hole a few more of the Bft and 9ft putts. Soundness off the tees and through the fairways, allied to a short game of high quality, gave

Newdick his excellent score. He was very seldom in any—danger of dropping strokes, and when he did err his recoveries were superb. At the 210 yd sixth he was bunkered, but his explosion shot sent the ball out cleanly, and it rolled beautifully on to touch the pin and stop dead. He holed a long one for a birdie at the eighth, but at the twelfth, after being in a bunker again, he missed a putt of sft. At the end, too, he showed courage. There he played his only bad drive, and he had to play safely back to the fairway. But his third was sweetly struck, and he holed the . Bft putt he needed to retain second place. Nagle’s Round Nagle played more lovely golf, but he was not as commanding as Thomson this time. He was in hot pursuit of Thomson when he was twoi under at the turn, and he was a little unlucky at the thirteenth, where he was putting for a birdie from 14ft. His ball struck an old hole mark, jumped alarmingly, and veered away. Then he cut his drive at the fourteenth, and. astonished everyone by three-putting the sixteenth. It was a great round, by ordinary standards, but Nagle probably felt it just was not his day. Busk’s iron play was perhaps the finest contribution to the day’s golf. It was astonishingly accurate. At each of the first eight holes, he found the middle of the green, but only two putts went down lor the birdies. And although he was out in 34, two under scratch, in those nine holes he missed three putts of sft or less. A chip and two putts at the fourteenth, and three putts at the seventeenth . used up his birdies, but both he and Southerden showed that their foursomes play was a true line on their form. Southerden had only one birdie in his round of 72, testimony to his steady accuracy. He missed some little putts here and there and had three putts on the seventeenth, as so many others did. His outward half of 35, one under, promised well, but he could not get ' his birdies, and twice dropped strokes coming home. Depressing Start

Not many of the top players made as depressing a start as Charles, who missed the green at the second and took 5. and threeputted the fourth to be two over. It says much for him that be should, be only one over at the finish, for nothing occurred to restore his confidence on the

greens. At the fourteenth, he holed a putt of 25ft for his birdie, but throughout the round nothing longer than 3ft went down for him. He had 34 putts—an appalling total by his own exacting standards. Caldwell’s success delighted the large contingent of Christchurch players at the tournament, and it was thoroughly deserved. It is not often that Caldwell looks as confident as he did today. He kept hitting- the ball beautifully, .and. even in this august company, phe is perhaps the most attractive swinger. Out in 37, he had a birdie at the eleventh, but at the long thirteenth he cut his drive, had a bad lie in the rough, and dropped a stroke. Another went at the fourteenth when he missed a little putt, and then he threeputted the fifteenth, to be three over, and there was every indication of a mod A-ate score. But he came back superbly by holing a 10ft putt for a birdie at the sixteenth, and another of 25ft at the last green for a birdie again. P. Creighton, who was fourth equal among the amateurs at the last open, played in company with Thomson, and he often outdrove the Australian. He played very well, and had little luck on the greens. His only real error was at the thirteenth, where his second went into rough, requiring him to play out sideways. The hole cost him seven. S. G. Jones was another putting victim, but R. D. Kearns returned to form with a sound 74. .Clegg’s Good Round The young Waitikiri player, B. L. Clegg, played one of his best rounds. Lovely long woods and superb Irons, supported by more confidence than usual in his putting, put him one under scratch six holes from home. Then he began to over-club badly, errors which cost him strokes at three successive holes. At the sixteenth it was worse, for he overclubbed again and sent an 8 iron second soaring through the green and out of bounds. But he was unfortunate when his birdie putt at the eighteenth hit the hole and stayed out. R. C. Murray started very well, finding the greens regularly, to have eight bogeys, but after that his tee. shots began to stray a little and his putting was not good enough to save him. It was one of the most veteran of veterans in the field, H. A. Black, of Wellington, who won the attention of those unwilling to walk beyond the first few holes. He started with two threes, both birdies, and lipped the cup for a third at the next hole. He expressed the belief then that they would be needed, and they were. The Press Association reports the following scores, • denoting professionals : 611—*P. w. Thomson (Victoria). 70— H. R. Newdick (North Shore). 71— *M. J. Busk (Manawatu), *K. D. G. Nagle (Pymble, New South Wales). 72 C. W. Caldwell (Christchurch), *R. J. Charles (Christchurch), »E. A. Southerden (Napier). 73 P. K. Creighton (Paraparaumu Beach). 74 H. R. Carver (Wanganui), S. Q. Jones (Hastings), R. D. Kearns (Otago), I. D. Woodbury (Hutt), W. W. Smith (Titirangi). 75 »J. Watt (Wellington), B. T. Boys (Hamilton), T. J. Jeffery (New Plymouth), B. L. Clegg (Waitikiri). J. D. Durry (Shandon). 76 *N. H. Fuller (Christchurch), R. C. Murray (Russley), J. Stern (Manawatu). 77 G. C. Halligan (Invercargill), I- s. Harvey (Timaru), B. M Silk (Wanganui), K. D. Foxton- (Russley), G. J. Williamson (Queen’s Park), B. P. Vezich (Titirangi), G. P. Vesty (Timaru). 76—*F. X. Buckler (Lochlel). *J. M. Davidson (Otago), J. P. Means (Hawera), A. R. Timms (St. Clair), D. L. Woon (Hamilton). A. C. Browne (Ashburton), G. N. Tustin (Hutt), A. R. Kitto (Wanganui), H. A. Walker (Gore), D. S. McLennan (Invercargill). 79 •!. Arundel (Miasterton), D. W. Maley (Queen’s Park), L. J. Stephens (Invercargill), w. Cochrane (Ohai), J. R. Howorth (Otago), J. R. Broadhurst (Russley), E. 3. Geary (Wyndham), *J. Kelly (Remuera), T..M. Stout (Miramar), P. K. Heginbotham (Paraparaumu Beach), w. J. Godfrey (Titirangi). 80— R. J. Adams (Patea). J. L. Domlgan (Gore). W. Cant (Christchurch). H. A. Black (Miramar). H. W. Hattersley (Royal Sydney). A. J Lovett (Hutt), J. H. Rich ( Russleyk A. W. Robinson (Christchurch), A. T. Skelt (Invercargill). •B. J. Smith (unattached). »W. McWilliam (Beverley Park, New South Wales), P. R. Gutberlet (Hokitika). D. Scaife (Paraparaumu Beach), W McEHigot (Otautau).

81—E. H. Richards (Russley), R. Blay-Mackenzie (Titirangi). J. L. Black (Hutt), E. O. Heney (Winton). •W. S. White (unattached). H. H. W Amon (Paraparaumu Beach). M J McNally (Waitikiri). B. S. Adamson (Otago). R. F. Jones (St. Clair).

82—M. BaDoch tOtiai). L. W. Dwen (tochiel). R. A. Smith (Gore). C. G. Gray (Invercargill), A. G. Cowan (Otautau), J. S. Lindsay (Invercargill).

83—S. J. Deslandes (Queen's Park). G. C. McKay (Otautau). D J. Ryajt (Hamilton), N. J. Forward (Christchurch), J. E. Nieholous (Paraparaumu Beach), 3. B. Prendergast (Christchurch). A. T. Maley (Queen’s Park), P. Strettell (Invercargill).

84— Ford (St. Clair), H. J. Cosset (Christchurch), W. Kitto ißoxhureh). R. ,T Ford (a>ison). D F. Wi’liamson (Christchurch). 85— C. R. Colmihoun ri-t. Clair'. ■T. Toran (Paraoaranmu Beach). T. A. Pannett (Roxburgh). 3. R. Mewton fP’<tt). 86— r. 3 Word rChristchurch). T, A. Watson <Christchurch). G. D Sutherland (Oamaro). 87— G. C. Ste-ensnn (Walkarc). A. T. M. Mann rTMrangi), I. 3. Campbell (Waitikiri). 88— *M. A. Hartlgan (unattached).