NAGLE AND PLAYER TIE IN U.S. OPEN

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30783, 22 June 1965, Page 17

NAGLE AND PLAYER TIE IN U.S. OPEN

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

ST. LOUIS (Missouri), June 21.

Kel Nagle, of Australia, and Gary Player, of South Africa, go into an 18-hole play-off at the Bellerive Country Club at St. Louis today to decide who will be the United States Open golf champion.

Nagle came from three strokes behind on the last three holes yesterday to tie with Player. If they tie again there will be a sudden-death play-off.

The winner will be the first foreigner to capture the United States Open since Edward Ray, of England, in 1920. He will receive 25,000 dollars and the runner-up 12.500 dollars. The Australian entered the final round two strokes behind Player, the leader who had 210 for the three previous rounds. He fired a one-under-par 69 while Player shot a one-over-par 71 to bring them into a 282 tie. Player appeared to have the victory when Nagle double-bogeyed the fifteenth hole. But Nagle, with a beautiful approach shot that left him three feet from the cup, had a birdie at the seventeenth while Player doublebogeyed the sixteenth, tieing the score for the second time.

The 44-y ear-old Nagle today told reporters he decided to go on the American pro-

fessional circuit “because I’m getting a little long in the tooth.”

His 1964 winnings were 24,810 dollars. So far this year he has won more than 20.000 dollars.

Commenting on yesterday's exciting fourth round, Nagle said:

“After my double bogey on the fifteenth I thought, ‘She's gone—l’ve blown it.’ Then after my drive on the eighteenth, I heard about Gary’s double bogey on the sixteenth. I guess that’s golf —there’s no telling what will happen.” Surprised

Player said: “AH of a sudden I was lucky to tie, after being three strokes ahead with three holes to play. I never thought 1 had it sewed up. though.” He told of the disastrous sixteenth, where his ball was “plugged in the trap” and his 18in putt was “deflected slightly right by a spike mark.”

He nearly holed a 28-footer on the eighteenth which would have won the match. He said, “I didn’t want to charge that one—it's better to be in a play-off than not at all.” Largely because of his youth, Player will be favoured today. He seemed to withstand the intense 86-

degree heat better than Nagle, even though the Australian out-scored him.

Nagle said laughingly after the match: -“1 may be a little older than some, but Um not ready to lie down yet.” Play starts at 7.15 a.m. New Zealand time on Tuesday. Final scores:—

282—K. Nagle (Australia), 68, 73. 73, 69; G. Player (South Africa) 70, 70, 71, 71. 284—F. Beard (United States), 74, 69, 70, 71.

287 J. Boros (United States), 72. 75, 70, 70; A. Geiberger (United States), 70, 76, 70, 71. 288— B. DevMn (Australia), 72, 73. 72, 71; R. Floyd (United States), 72. 72, 76, 68. 289 T. Lema (United States), 72, 74, 73. 70: G. Littler (United States), 73, 71, 73, 72: Wysong (United States), 72, 75, 70, 72. Others were: 297 —S. Snead (United States), 75, 71, 77, 74. 299—8. Crampton (Australia), 74. 76, 72, 77; J. Nicklaus (United States), 78. 72, 73. 76.