Coxon’s Fine Golf Wins Dunedin Top Prize

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30237, 16 September 1963, Page 21

Coxon’s Fine Golf Wins Dunedin Top Prize

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, September 15. In an exceptional display of unflustered golf, B. J. Coxon, the 26-year-old Australian-born, Manawatu professional, won the Roslyn £l5OO international tournament by one stroke from R. Tuohy (New South Wales) at Balmacewen on Saturday.

Coxon’s 54-hole total of 208 was eight strokes under scratch. Tuohy had 209, the French Open champion, B. W. Devlin (New South Wales), 210, and L. Thomas (West Australia) 212.

Coxon showed admirable qualities of determination by shooting a one under 71 on Saturday after an exhausting first two rounds. The most glowing tribute to Coxon was paid by Devlin, who said: “It takes guts to stay in front all the way—for that’s what he did." A cloudburst late on Friday flooded the course and heavy rain through the night forced the abandonment of Saturday morning's round. Although the final 18 holes were played against a background of threatening storm, the conditions could not deter several hundreds from following the top players, and they were rewarded with short periods of sunshine and some exciting golf. In addition to the clean and place rule which was in operation throughout the tournament, two temporary rules were introduced. They allowed the lifting and dropping of balls from the flooded sand bunkers and permitted a second ball to be played if the first plugged in a casual water hazard. Stroke for stroke Coxton and Tuohy battled it out. Tuohy, who was two strokes behind Coxon after the first 36 holes, did his utmost but at no stage was he able to reduce the deficit by more than one.

Coxon played the first seven holes in bogey figures, but with only the slightest luck with his putting and he could easily have been two or three under.

At the first his putt from 30ft came to rest six inches from the cup, then at the third his chip from well off the green did everything but go down. To rub salt into his wounds a long putt on the fourth green shaved the pin. Effortlessly sinking a 12ft putt at the short eighth, Coxon carded his first birdie. A bogey at the ninth left him one under and still two strokes up on Tuohy at the turn.

Over the early holes Tuohy’s drives off the tees and fairways lacked accuracy, but he made up for this deficiency with splendid recoveries and steady parting. At the ninth a putt from 30ft for a birdie just rolled passed the pin and he turned for home one under. Lost a Stroke

Coxon surrendered a Stroke at the tenth when his second landed in a sand trap, but at the long eleventh he chipped wen and sank a 10ft putt for a birdie. Aatemgli his chip art the next was eight feet from the pin, he took only one putt for another birdie.

At this stage the Manawatu player was really on top of his game, and after a bogey at the thirteenth, it was rather surprising to see him mass the green art the 173-yard fourteen.h. then two-putt from eight feet. Coxon’s drive ait the sixteen’h was Short, but a high well-placed approach left him 15ft from the pin. The putt missed by mere inches when a birdie was needed most. Tuohy was just short of the eleventh green with his second, but sank a 12ft purit A birdie art the next left him three under and in a marvellots position to' challenge Coxon’s lead.

Three putts at the fourteen’h lost him a stroke, and then after Coxon had finished w»to two bogeys, Tuohy required a birdie at the last to tie. He saw his second fall short, but a great putt from 40ft failed by a foot. Devlin had one ovens art the thirteenth and fourteenth to ruin his chances, while Thomas played glorious golf to card a three-under 69—(the best round of the day.

P. W. Thomson had his best round. 71, after being allsquare art the turn, but F. Phillips (New South Wales), afl.er his two-round total of 141, and a score of 36 for the first nine holes on Saturday, slipped badly to be two over for the homeward nine and ended in fifth place.

Final Scores Final scores (• denotes professionals) were:— 208: *B. J. Coxon (Manawatu), 69, 68, 71. 209: «R. Tuohy (N.S.W.), 71. 88 70. 210: >B. W. Devlin 1N5.W.), 71, 67, 72. 212: *L. Thomas (West Australia), 70, 73, 69.. 215: F. Phillips (N.S.W.), 89, 72. 74. 216: ’A. A. Murray (N.S.W.), 73. 71. 72; «D. Welch (Victoria), 70. 74, 72; «P. W. Thomson (Victoria), 73, 72. 71. 218: *F. X. Buckler (Lochiel), 74, 71, 73; *H. Sugimoto (Japan), 75. 71. 72. 219: «E. A. Bail (NS.W.), 73. 74, 72. 220: »W. J. Godfrey (Auckland), 74. 76, 70; J. Howell (ÜBJL), 75, 75. 70. 221: «W. Dunk (N.S.W.). 72. 76, 73. 222: »P. R. Mills (Victoria), 71. 73, 78. 223: J. R, Howorth (Otago), 76. 71, 76. 224: “R. S. Brown (Victoria). 73, 77 . 74; ’J. C. Davis (N.S.W.), 74. 77, 73; C. R. Colquhoun (St. Ciair), 73. 77 , 74. 227: A. R. Timms (St. Clair). 72. 77. 78. 230: R. D. Kearns (Otago), 75, 76. 79. 231: K. R. Downie (Southland). 77, 75. 79; P. J. Young (St. Clair), 82 . 73. 76; »E. A. Southerden (Napier), 78, 78. 75. 234: A. Gibbs (Otago), 75. 77. 82. 235: *T. A. Brady (Miramar), 76 82, 77; B. A. Whitburn (Otago), 81. 80, 74. 236: P. W. J. Searle (St. Clair), 79, 77 . 80. 237: J. S. Roche (Chisholm Park). 75, 81. 81. 238: R. Dryden (Roxburgh), 78. 79, 81; *N. H. Fuller (Canterbury’), 83. 80, 75. 241: P. O’Neil (Southland), 83, 81. 77. 242: B. S. Adamson (Otago). 83 . 82, 77. 243: L. J. Stephens (Southland), 83. 83, 77. 245: *N. D. Hayden (Auckland). 82, 82. 81. 247: P. D. Stretteil (Southland), 79. 83. 85. 248: *T. A. Harrison (Marlborough). 83. 81. 84; »T. Kelso (Auckland), 81, 83. 84. 252: G. Clarke (Otago). 90, 77, 85: «W. S. White (South Canterbury), 84, 85. 83. 255: R. A. Secular (Otago), 87 . 87 , 81.

The prize-money was distributed as follows: —Coxon £3OO. Tuohv £225. Devlin £l5O, Thomas £llO. Phillips £95. Murray. Welch. Thomson £75, Buckler.’ Sugimoto £57 10s, Ball £5O, Godfrey, Howell £42 10s, Dunk £35, Mills £3O. Brown £3O, Davis £25, Southerden £25.