Strong Field In N.Z. Amateur Golf Titles

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 17

Strong Field In N.Z. Amateur Golf Titles

(By

R. T. BRITTENDEN)

It is 15 years since a Canterbury player won the New Zealand amateur golf championship, and there is only a slim chance that the sequence will be broken when the 1966 contest is held at Russley next month.

D. L. Woon, now of Hamilton, was a Waitikiri player when he xvon the amateur at Titirangi in 1951 but the 1966 winner is not likely to come from the strong Canterbury contingent in the 105 who will play in the qualifying rounds.

Two prominent North Island amateurs and New Zealand representatives, J. P. Means and T. Leech, are not competing, but the winner’ may well come from the present title-holder J. D. Durry, of Wellington, S. G. Jones (Hastings), or R. C. Murray (Otago). All Canterbury’s 1966 Freyberg Rosebowl players are in the field—R. E. Clements, D. R. Hope, E. H. Richards, J. D. Broadhurst, R. K. Atkinson and J. F. Logie. Their familiarity with Russley will be an asset; but on that score Murray’s chances must also be improved. Canterbury’s hand is further strengthened by the inclusion of C. W. Caldwell, a talented former provincial representative who has not been able to give much time to golf in recent years.

There will be particular

interest in the performances of some highly promising young players from the Canterbury area—L. Elder of Templeton, P. Cleland of Russley, I. Beswarick of Timaru, R. H. Bradley (Amberley) among them. Other players of special interest are the youngsters A. G. Palmer (North Otago), R. D. Gillespie and B. Rafferty (Auckland). Woon, one of the great New Zealand golf amateurs, will compete again, and so will B. M. Silk, of Wanganui, who won the first of his three titles In 1934.

I. D. Woodbury, a New Zealand representative, H. R. Carver, and the 1957 winner E. J. McDougall will add interest to the North Island entry. After two stroke rounds 32 of the 105 players will be drawn in the match play.