34ft Putt To Win Stops Inch Short, And Title Sharedi

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30227, 4 September 1963, Page 21

34ft Putt To Win Stops Inch Short, And Title Shared i

(Heui Zealand Press Association)

PALMERSTON NORTH, September 3. Putting from 34ft on the last green for a birdie to win, the former British Open champion, P. W. Thomson, saw his ball stop an inch from the cup.

He had to be content with sharing the first prize with another Australian, E. Ball, in the Metalcraft and Industries £lOOO golf tournament at Hokowhitu today. Both had 72-hole totals of 287.

One of the underdogs, Ball would have won outright had he not incurred a two-stroke penalty for going out of bounds at the tenth and taking a seven on the par-four hole.

The leader after the third round, W. Dunk, the Sydney professional, slipped in the final round, taking a 77, and finished two strokes behind Thomson and Ball.

The first New Zealander was W. J. Godfrey, the Auckland professional, who had a final round of 74 for a total of 290, three strokes behind the leaders. Also on 290 was the Australian professional, F. Phillips. who returned a 68 in the final round.

Thomson had halves of 36 in the final round. After slipping a stroke on the second, he recovered with birdies on the third and long fifth. Par figures followed over the next four holes to the turn. A birdie at the tenth brought him within striking distance of the leaders, but at the short eleventh he found himself in all sorts of trouble and eventually finished in five. A birdie on the par-three thirteenth and another birdie on the sixteenth placed him in front of the field with two holes remaining.

The seventeenth brought its troubles when Thomson was bunkered with his second. He came out well, but his putt stopped on the lip. At the eighteenth he took a short cut on this partial dog-leg and hit a terrific drive. His second was from only about 80 yards out, but the ball, instead of biting on the green, ran about 35ft past the hole.

Downhill Putt Thomson’s putt downhill was a magnificent effort and stopped an inch to the right of the cup. The par four gave him the tie with Ball. Ball, who was three strokes behind Dunk at the start of the last round, had his one serious lapse at the tenth, when he went out of bounds. Otherwise his shots were all hit crisply, and he needed only ar, ounce of luck to have taken the major prize. After a par four at the first hole. Ball gained a birdie at

the second, only to slip a stroke at the next Par figures followed at the next two holes and with a birdie on the next, he was breathing down Dunk’s neck. When he gained another birdie by sinking a 12ft putt on the ninth there was only one stroke between he and the leader.

His seven at the tenth cut the ground from under him, but he came back well with an eagle three at the sixteenth after being close to the pin with his second. Poor Second Half

Dunk crashed bn the homeward run of his last round after going out in 37. He recorded a 40 for the second half to give him a round of 77. Dunk dropped a shot at the fourth, but recovered it when he holed his putt for a birdie on the long fifth. Coming home he dropped strokes at the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and seventeenth holes, and it was obvious that he had cracked under the pressure being applied by Ball and Thomson.

Knowing well that he had to play under par to have a chance of taking the major prize, Godfrey set about the final round in courageous style. However, it was not his day, for although he was hit-

ting hie shots well fortune did not smile upon him. Level at Seventh He dropped shots at the second and fourth, but recovered to be level with par again with birdies on the sixth and seventh.

Coming home he registered par figures over the first five holes and then had a birdie at the long fifteenth. But he dropped strokes at the sixteenth and seventeenth and had to be content with a round of 74.

Phillips' 68 was the best score of the day. Birdies on the sixth, seventh and eighth more than compensated for his temporary lapse on the fourth, and with a par four on the ninth, he was out in 35. Four Birdies In 33 Coming home he was par figures to the fourteenth and then notched birdies on the fifteenth and sixteenth and yet another on the last for a half in 33. R. Tuohy, the New South Wales professional, who had been up with the leaders for practically all the way, had a fourth round score of 75.

The leading amateur was J. Stern (Palmerston Norte) whose total of 304 included an indifferent 79 in the third round and a 75 in the final round. He held a one stroke advantage over H. R. Carver (Wanganui), who returned a 76 in the fourth round after being level with Stem before they teed off in the afternoon.