Big Defeat Of N.Z. Golfers

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30557, 28 September 1964, Page 14

Big Defeat Of N.Z. Golfers

<N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) SYDNEY, September 27. The Australian amateur golf team today showed peak form on the eve of the departure of both teams for Rome to compete in the Eisenhower Trophy international matches next month, when it defeated New Zealand, 5|4. at the Pennant Hills Club, Sydney,

[ The New Zealanders, who' ;were unfamiliar with thej [course, were outclassed in) the singles and foursomes, matches. New Zealand’s best performance came from E. J. i McDougall, of Auckland, who held the Australian captain. P. Billings, to all square in the fourth singles. McDougall, a long hitter. j made a fighting recovery after losing the third hole) where he hit out of bounds. Missed 7ft Putt From that point he was two under par and but for! missing a 7ft putt on the last green would have beaten ‘ Billings. R. C. Murray (New Zea-, land) and T. Crow had a see-, sawing battle before the Australian won. 3 and 1. Murray 1 was astray with his iron shots to the green but he sank some pressure putts to keep in the game. | J. D. Drury, of New Zealand. went down. 3 and 2, to; [the Australian champion, B. Baker. An out of bounds! drive at the third was a set-! back for the New Zealander. I but Baker was in superb ; form and was two under the card after 16 holes. S. G. Jones played indif-i ferently and lacked confl- [ dence on the greens, losing ‘ 12 and 1 to K. Hartley, He i three-putted on four occa-l sions and seemed upset by the intermittent rain whichfell. Durry and McDougall , caused a stir when they! snatched a three-up lead: after four holes in the four-i somes against Baker and Billings, but the Australians |. fought back so effectively ;

I that they won five of the next j six holes, and went on to a ! comfortable win. 2 and 1 Hartley and Crow were too ' strong for Jones and Murray, winning 3 and 2. The match was for the Sloan Morpeth Trophy, which [New Zealand held. Australia has now won the trophy twice and New Zealand one.