Birdie Putt Wins £400 First Prize For Nagle

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30926, 6 December 1965, Page 18

Birdie Putt Wins £400 First Prize For Nagle

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON.

K. D. G. Nagle (Australia) won the Forest Products £2OOO golf tournament by one stroke from the South African, C. Amm, at Tokoroa on Saturday. Nagle’s 72-hole total of 269 was 19 under par.

One stroke behind Amm, on 271, was the young British professional, P. O. Green.

The professionals, A. A. Murray (Australia), R. R Newdick (New Zealand), G. B. Wolstenholme (England), R. J. Stanton, S. Peach, and E. A. Ball (Australia) filled the next six platings. The top amateur was P. A. Maude (Waitomo), with a 72bole total of 279, 10 behind Nagle. Murray’s Record 63

After three rounds Nagle had led by one stroke from Amm and Murray, with Green, Newdick and Ball all within striking distance. The morning belonged to Murray, whose 63 was two better than the course record.

Amm, too, had set the course alight early in his round. He was six under after five holes, with an eagle and five birdies. However, the seventh cost him a shot and he was out in 32. He came home a steady 33 for 65.

With 67 of the 72 hole* played. Green had drawn level with Nagle. Amm being one stroke behind. Murray, now hindered by a leg injury, was struggling two strokes further back.

They all had par figures at the fifteenth, but at the sixteenth Green was the first to crumble under the pressure. His second to the green was wide and was left with an »lght-foot putt which never looked like going in.

Nagle and Amm passed the sixteenth still 19 and 18 under, respectively, with a huge gallery behind each player. Green again met with strife at the seventeenth. He could not sink his putt and took a one-over five to drop back to third.

Nagle, playing one hole behind Amm, was dreadfully short of the sixteenth green with Ms second. His chip was to within five feet of the pin, but he missed his putt and dropped an all important shot. This brought him back to 18 under with Amm, and Green was stlill close enough to pull through. Needed an Ragle Amm and Green had regulation figures at the par three seventeenth, and so turned to the last tee with Amm knowing he needed an eagle to have a chance.

His drive was adequate, but bls second bounced high on the perfect green and ran towards the back.

Amm's face was gripped with tension as he appeared to play his third. He said later: “I tried to put it as close as I could to make sure of a birdie.”

The bait was not hit hard enough, and left him a 12-toot putt. But this he missed. Nagle knew that a birdie would win him the £4OO Prize. His second, like Amm’s. was too 'ong. the ball stopping above the hole and some 60 feet from the stick.

His putt was on line for the first 30 feet, but it began to move to the left, further to the left, coming to rest four feet away. But his second was hit straight and true, and won Mm first prize. ’ Leading scores: 269: -K. D. G. Nagle (Australia). 65. 67. 69. 68. 270: -C. Amm (South Africa). 70. 67. 65 . 68. 271: -P. Green (England). 68, 68. 67. 68. 273: -A. A. Murray (Australia), 68. 71. 63. 71. 275: -R. R. Newdick (Auckland). 67, 69. 68, 71. 276: -G. B. Wolstenholme (England). 68, 71. 69, 68. 277: -R. J. Stanton (Australia), 70. 69, 70. 68. 278: *S. Peach (Australia). 70.

68 , 60, 71; *E. A. Ball (Austra lia), 68, 68. 70. 72.

279: P. A. Maude (Waitomo), 67. 68. 72, 72. 280: *C. McGregor (Australia), 68, 71, 70, 71. 281: *J. J. Sullivan (Australia), 71, 67, 70 , 73: E. J. McDougall (Tokoroa), 60 , 71, 60, 72. 282: T. S. Leech (Taupo), 66. 72. 71, 73: «W. J. Godfrey (Auckland), 70. 73, 60. 70; ’F. X. Buckler (LocMel). 60, 72, rn, 72; J. P. Means (Wanganui). 72, 68, 72, 70. 283: *W. Dunk (Australia). 72, 71, 72. 67; *B. J. Coxon (Australia), 73. 71. 72, 67. 284: *M. Roesink (Holland), 60, 71. 76, 68; «B. Mesnii (Australia), M, 72. 74, 60.