Assistant Leads P.G.A. Title With 216 yd “Ace”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30188, 20 July 1963, Page 5

Assistant Leads P.G.A. Title With 216 yd “Ace”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) DALLAS, July 19. A hole-in-one at the 216-yard sixteenth and a 20ft putt for a birdie on the next green gave a 27-year-old assistant professional, Dick Hart, a clear lead after the first round of the American P.GA. golf championship at Dallas, Texas, yesterday, United Press International reported.

In temperatures of 100 degrees, Hart scored a magnificent four-under-scratch 66, and led by three strokes from a group of five players on 69, including the New Zealand lefthander and British Open champion, R. J. Charles.

Bracketed with Charles were the United States Open title-holder, Julius Boros, the I'.S. Masters champion, Jack Nicklaus, Shelley Mayfield and Mason Rudolph. Another six players, including an Australian, Bruce Crampton, were on 70. Phil Rodgers, whom Charles beat in the British Open play-off, had a 78.

Hart, a shy, soft-spoken young man, caught the 7500 opening day gallery by surprise. They hardly knew he ■was on the course.

His hole in one shot with a No. 4 iron that hit 10ft to the right of the pin and curled into the cup. Charles putted well all the ■way round, but had to sink only two long ones—l2ft and

10ft His straight game down the fairways really paid off. Kept on Fairway Afterwards, he said: “I did it by keeping my drives on the fairways. This course is comparatively easy if you keep out of the rough. “I put it in a couple of times but each was near the gree nand I was able to play it all right “I found these big greens to be good for putting. They are not hard to hit,” he said. Palmer Haa 74 Four former P.G.A. champions did not tare too -well. The defending champion Gary Player, carded a 74, Jay Hebert a 75, Jerry Barber a 74, Walter Burkerno a 79 and Arnold Palmer a 74. Nicklaus was two under on the first nine with birdies on a pair of par 5 holes. Charles' card on the 35. 35—71, 7304-yard course was: Out: 444, 524, 354, 35. In: 445, 344, 244, 34. Total: G 9. The players on 70 were Charles Congdon, Crampton, Doug Ford, Bernie Haas, Tony Lerna and Earl Stewart.