ONE ROUND—OR ALL Charles To Play In N.Z. Open

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30911, 18 November 1965, Page 19

ONE ROUND—OR ALL Charles To Play In N.Z. Open

(Seic Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND.

By an extraordinary combination of circumstances, K. D. G. Nagle, of Australia, and R. J. Charles, of New Zealand, are to play today in the first round of the New Zealand Open golf championship at Middlemore.

However, although Nagle is available for the whole championship, Charles may only play in the first round.

The New Zealander is waiting to hear from the United States whether his opening match in the C.B.S. television series has been postponed because of rain.

The first move that delighted New Zealand golf officials came when Nagle, who won the championship in the record score of 266 last year, arrived in Auckland out of the blue yesterdav* morning. He had no sooner been! eliminated from the 50,000-j dollar television match-play! series at San Diego, California, then he set to work to! arrange his departure for] Auckland and the defence of his title. He arrived after a flight; which meant a fatiguing over-! night trip with stops at Hono-i lulu and Nandi. Charles’s Dilemma Charles’s dilemma began! with Nagle’s arrival. .Charles i and B. W. Devlin, of Austra-I lia. last year won the televi-i sion series, which put them

under an obligation to compete in the current series. He and Devlin thought their first round match was not to be played until November 22, two days after the completion of the New Zealand Open. When Charles arrived at Christchurch on Monday to visit his parents he learned that his first round match was to be played on Sunday. Postponed by Rain ! This meant he could not J compete in the New Zealand ;Open and Charles, after vary- ' j ing his air bookings from Saturday evening until tonight, . flew to Auckland yesterday (merely with the intention of i putting in an appearance at ■ Middlemore and expressing ’ his regret to officials at his I inability to play. Meanwhile. Nagle had ■brought back from California i j the news that the C.B.S. series ijhad almost certainly been -1 postponed because of rain, •i If this were true it meant II that Charles, by the skin of

his teeth, might still be able to complete the New Zealand open before rushing off to join Devlin in defence of the C.B.S. title. Although Charles had officially withdrawn from the Open, the New Zealand Golf Council last evening gave him permission to play. Charles willingly agreed to apoear in the first round today. Drawn With S. African He is drawn with the South African, Cedric Amm, and is timed to tee-off at 9.30 a.m. It will be the first time in his golfing career that Charles has ever competed in a tournament without at least one practice round on the tournament course. By late last night it was by no means certain that circumstances would permit Charles to continue in "the championship. He would not know until today whether Nagle’s information about the delay in the television series is official. In any case, he said he would be a starter in the tournaments at Tokoroa. Tittrangi, and Russley, and if possible at Hastings as well. “Definitely Be Back” “All these tournaments are great things for New Zealand golf and as a New Zealander I would like to support them ias often as I can.” he said. I “If it is at all possible, therefore. I will play out the Open and come back for the other events. If I can’t stay for the Open I will definitely be back as soon as I can.” In his television match. Nagle and a fellow Australian, Bruce Crampton, lost at the nineteenth to the Americans, Julius Boros and George Bayer. At the end of 18 holes the match was square, each team having a best ball score of 64—eight under par.