BRITISH OPEN GOLF Scot Leads Qualifiers With Rounds Of 69, 70

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29872, 12 July 1962, Page 16

BRITISH OPEN GOLF Scot Leads Qualifiers With Rounds Of 69, 70

(N .Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright)

TROON, July 11. America’s five-man challenge for the British Open golf championship made its presence felt yesterday when the final qualifying round was played over the Troon and Loch green courses.

Despite a painful hip, Arnold Palmer, the title-holder, reestablished himself as favourite with a four-under-par 67 at Loch green, while on the same course Phil Rodgers, third in the recent U.S. Open, equalled Palmer’s score, including a magnificent 31 for the inward nine.

Sam Snead took matters more easily with a 73 to add to his record-breaking first round of 69; and Gene Littler and Jack Nicklaus were equally complacent, to finish high up among the 119 players who qualified with scores of 154 and better for the start of the 72-holes chaipipionship proper today. Leader of the qualifiers, with 139, was Scotland’s No I contender, E. C. Brown, who has spent his time between rounds in bed trying to throw off the aftereffects of influenza. Brown was in tremendous form on the greens, and had II single putts while compiling a 70 to add to his first record-equalling 69 at Troon on Monday. Nagle in Trouble

The Australian winner in 1960, K. Nagle, who led on Monday with a record 65. was in all the trouble about the place and took 39 to the turn at Troon. He took some time to gauge the high wind which rose in the afternoon and three times his ball was blown off the fairway in the first nine. G. Player, of South Africa, winner in 1959. managed workmanlike rounds of 71 and 75 without extending himself. Charles Qualifies New Zealand's R. J Charles, who finished late, was among the leaders with a 71. 73—144. M. Busk, 78, 75—153, also qualified. Peter Thomson, of Australia. was bunkered in three of the first five holes and at that stage he had 3-putted one green and 2-putted two others. But Thomson, who is trying for his fifth victory, was

never in real trouble, and had a 73 for a total of M 3.

But the man who greatly impressed the knowledgeable Scottish spectators was Rodgers. The American produced powerful and accurate golf on his last nine holes, and no-one during the two days showed more impressive form. QUALIFIERS Qualifiers for the 72-hole ehampionship proper Included (* denotes amateur): 139 E. Brown. 69-70. 140— B. Devlin (Australia), 7268; *J. B. Carr. 72-68. 141— K. Nagle (Australia). 6576: D. C. Thomas. 68-73. 142 P. Rodgers (United 'States), 75-67; J. Garaiialde (France). 73-69; J. Jacobs, 71-71; •M. J. Christmas, 66-76. 143 A. Palmer (United States), 76-67; E. G. Lester. 7271; P. W. Thomson (Australia). 70-73: B. J. Hunt. 68-75: H. Weetman, 7t-72: S. Snead (United States), 69-74; B. Bamford, 72-71. 144 N. Drew, 75-69; I. Macdonald, 70-74: R. J. Charles (New Zealand), 71-73. 145 S. Scott, 69-76; J. More. 74-71. 146 S. Miguel (Spain). 72-74; G. Player (South Africa), 71-75: G. B. Wolstenholme. 73-73. 147 P. Alliss. 71-76: *D. A Blair. 69-78: »R. D. Shade. 71-76; G. Littler (United States). 71-76; H. R. Henning (South Africa), 74-73. 148— R. Verwey (South Africa), 70-78; C. O’Connor, 7771; D. J. Rees, 75-73. 149 K. Bousfield. 80-69; J. Panton. 73-76; J. Nicklaus (United States), 76-73. 150— A. D Locke (South Africa). 70-80: N. von Nida (Australia), 74-76; A. M. Finney (South Africa). 69-81. 151— P. Runyan (United States). 76-75; J. Johnson, 70-81 152 M. Faulkner. 74-78. 153— M. Busk (New Zealand),

78-75; W. Edgar (Australia). 7875. 154—D. Welsh (Australia), 7282.