GOLF DECISION NEXT MONTH Open Title Facing Another Aust. Ban

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31479, 20 September 1967, Page 19

GOLF DECISION NEXT MONTH Open Title Facing Another Aust. Ban

(N Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SYDNEY.

The New South Wales Professional Golfers’ Association will decide next month whether to ban its members from competing in the New Zealand Open, its president (Mr C. Johnston) said yesterday.

Set down from November 15-18, the New Zealand Open is being held at the same time as the Colls Harbour tournament in Northern New South Wales.

Mr Johnston said that the association had not yet discussed the matter.

“A meeting will be called next month and a decision made then. We are not treating the matter as urgent yet." he added. Mr Johnston said that the association had assured Coffs Harbour of its support.

Probable Preference

“But it is not for me to say whether this will have any bearing on the decision of the association. This is for the directors of the association to decide.

“The New Zealand Open might be banned because of the conflict of dates but again it may not.” But Mr Johnston agreed that the association would probably prefer to support the Coffs Harbour tournament rather than the New Zealand Open. He criticised the New Zealand association's decision to

hold tlie Open at the same time as the Coffs Harbour tournament. “The whole thing is a hell of a mess. Surely a conflict Of dates could have been avoided so that this situation would not have arisen.” Nagle Defied Ban Mr Johnston said that the; New South Wales P.G.A. did; not want to be confronted

again with the situation which occurred in the New Zealand Open at Paraparaumu last year. This was when the Australian professional. K. D. G. Nagle, plaved in the open in defiance of the N.S.W. P.G.A.'s ruling. Since then, the association has amended its rules to em power it to fine, suspend or expel any member who does not comply with its ruling. Mr Johnston said that if its members were banned from competing in the New Zealand Open, this would apply only to New South Wales. Other associations would have to make their own decisions.