Palmer Loses Play-Off To 20-Year-Old

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31210, 7 November 1966, Page 3

Palmer Loses Play-Off To 20-Year-Old

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY. The 20-year*old Australian golfer, R. Stanton, issued a warning to American top professionals when he beat A. D. Palmer in a “sudden death” play-ofi to win the £3200 Dunlop international tournament at Sydney yesterday.

Stanton had to rush back to Sydney from the United States to play in the tournament. Last week-end he was playing at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where he qualified for next year’s United States professional circuit. He will begin the tour in the Doral open at Miami next February.

Stanton has been hailed as a potential golfing “great.” He showed why in the final holes of the Dunlop tournament yesterday. Palmer had begun the day five strokes behind Stanton and the other joint leader, D. Welch—and immediately began one of his famous finishes with a 20-foot putt for a birdie at the first hole. Palmer turned in 33—three under par—and at that stage was only a shot behind Stanton and Welch, He gained another stroke when he had a birdie at the par-five eighteenth after missing a 10foot putt for an eagle. This gave him a 68 for a total of 294.

Stanton, playing immediately behind him. then needed a birdie to force a play-off. His second shot ran through the green but he calmly chipped back to within a foot of the pin. Only a great, 20-foot putt saved Palmer on the first hole of the play-off. But he slumped on the next when he SI

missed from seven feet, and Stanton sank his putt for a par three to win. The best round yesterday was by the Sydney player, E. A. Ball, who holed a chip for an eagle at the eighteenth to finish with a seven-under 65. He ended level with K. D. G. Nagle, a stroke behind Stanton and Palmer.

Welch faded under pressure on the inward nine and finished a further stroke back, on 296.

R. J. Charles showed easily his best form of the tournament with a final round of 71. He was brilliant on the outward nine, sinking putts of 35 and 20 feet to turn in 33.

However, earlier rounds of 80, 80, and 77 left him 14 strokes behind the leaders. Final scores:— 294: A. Palmer (United States), 78. 75. 73. 68: R. Stanton (Australia), 75, 72. 74. 73. 295: K. Nagle (Australia), 74. 79, 74. 68; E. Ball (Australia). 81. 77, 72. 65.

296: D. Welch (Australia). 78. 69, 74, 75. 297: P. Thomson (Australia), 74. 73, 76, 74; B. Devlin (Australia), 77. 76, 71, 73. 299: G. Player (South Africa), 80, 76, 72, 71; C. Johnston (Australia). 77, 73 , 77, 72. 300: M. Roesink (Holland). 82, 72 . 72, 74. Scores of other overseas players were: 303: G. Wolstenholme (Britain). 78, 75. 78. 72. 305: C. Clark (Britain), 78. 79. 77. 71. 308: W. J. Godfrey (New Zealand). 87. 73. 73. 75: R. J. Charles (New Zealand). 80. 80. 77. 71. 313: D. Clark (New Zealand). 79. 76. 82. 76