R.C. Murray Wins After Triple Tie At Templeton

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30213, 19 August 1963, Page 6

R.C. Murray Wins After Triple Tie At Templeton

While spectators held lighted matches, R. C. Murray putted safely for a par four at the fifth hole in almost total darkness to win a three-man play-off for the senior title at the Templeton Country Club’s annual tournament yesterday.

The play-off. between Murray, R. E. Clements and E. H. M. Richards, was on a “sudden death” basis after the three holes proper. They had adl failed to take advantage of flrst-cbass chances of outright victory. There wias little wind and warm swsbrne during the day provided the best golfing conditions of the season. Murray, with a splendid round of 71—two under parted the field in the morning from Richards (72), B. L. Clegg (73), Clements and R. K. Atkinson (tx»th 74). Murray was in fine form. He had eight bogeys and a birdie at the ninth, to be one under going out but played the tenth badily to drop a shot, and then birdied each of the remaining three par-five holes to finish two under. Murray might well have broken 70. He missed by the narrowest margins putts of tour and six feet for birdies at the third and fourth, and after two great woods to the 16th green, his putt of 25 feet tor an eagle sat right on the side of the cup.

Trouble On Greens But Murray after lunch was never so convincing. He started badly at the tenth with a short and wide iron but got his bogey with a 10-foot downhill putt. But from there until the end he experienced little other than frustration on the greens He three-putted twice to be two over for the first nine, but at the tenth—No. 1 on the card—a superb wedge a foot from the cup gave him a birdie But this proved to be his only such success for the round in which he could do no better than 76. Clements in the morning hit his tee shots well, but a number of irons well off line left him In need of all his great skill at recovery He provided fine value In this field. His chipping and putting was often extremely fine and of his seven one-putt greens, four were badly needed to secure bogey figures. After . lunch he had some surprising lapses on the greens.

Good Tee Shots Richards, renowned for the quality of his long game, has seldom hit his tee shots better He required nothing more than an eight iron at any par four hole and with his approach shots rendered just that mtvh the easier, he found all but two greens. He missed a short putt or two. but his round of

one under included several of at least 20 feet, and altogether four birdies.

Richards was mostly very Steacy after lunch. He dropped one shot going out but had three fine birdies at the bogey fives in the second, nine, being almost on in two at the thirteenth of 531 yards. He continued throughout to hit his woods magnificently but dues er struck him at the fourteenth—an easy par four of oniv 338 vards He placed bn chip—his third shot—only five feet from the hole, but amazingly three-putted for a six. his return of only a few inches striking some obstacle and staying out. Hit Or Miss The play-off over a minimum of three holes was from the start verv much a matter of hit or miss. Clements fell a shot behind at the first, but came back to level terms when he alone secured his three at the short second. Clements skied his drive at the long third, but the others both scuffed fairway woods along the ground. At this stage it was still just possible to see and Murray nearly won when he chipped with a wedge into the back of the cup and out again. But they all had fives, and again at the bogey four fourth. Then, with little chance of playing another. Murray alone found the green with his second at the fifth Results:— Senior Championship.—R. C. Murray. 71. 76—147; E. H M. Richards. 72, 75—147; R. E. Clements, 74. 73—147; K D. Foxton. 78 . 73—151; B. L. Clegg. 73. 79—152; D . R. Hope. 75. 78—153; D Murdock, 77. 78—155; M. J. McNally. 77. 80—157; R. K Atkinson. 76. 81—157. Intermediate Championship.— R. G. Searle. 83. 79—162: C R Clements. 83. 83—166; R. Reid. 81. 85—166: G. T. Chaney. 82, 84—166.

Stroke Rounds. Senior— AM: B. L Clegg. 73. 4—69; E. H. M. Richards. 72 scr —72: R. C. Murray. 71. plus 2—73.

P.M : S. C. Cliff. 77. 4-73; R E. Clements. 73. acr—73; K D. Foxton. 73. plus 1—74. Intermediate—A.M.: R. Reid. 81, 13—68; A. Telford. 84. 14—70. P.M.: G. Woodham. 83. 14—69: J. Jeffs. 85. 16—69 Aggregate Stroke—Senior: D Murdock. 149. on a count-back from D. R. Hope. 14#. Inter, mediate: J. Jeffs. 143. on a count-back from R. Kane. 143 Senior Gross.—E. H. M. Richards. 72. Intermediate Gross.—J. Galvin. 80. Teams’ Match—C. R. Clements, R Hopkinson. J. Jeffs. C. Ashworth. 298