HECTIC MATCH

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31500, 14 October 1967, Page 15

HECTIC MATCH

39th Hole , Victory (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WENTWORTH. The South African, G. Player, seeking his third successive victory in the event, beat the American, G. Brewer, at the thirty-ninth hole after a titanic first round match in the £16,000 Piccadilly world match-play golf championship on Thursday. There was a dispute over the siting of the hole on the deciding green. After both players had hit drives they noticed that the original hole had been filled in and another cut in readiness for the next day's matches. Brewer, winner of the world record first prize of nearly £20,000 sterling in the Alcan “golfer of the -year” event on Monday, refused to play on until the original hole was dug out The referee, M. J. Bonallaek, the British Walker Cup player, borrowed a penknife from a spectator and gouged out the old hole. The excavations failed to save Brewer, who three-putted, took a six to Player’s four and lost the bole and the ipiteh, . The Australian, P. W. Thomson, five down at the nineteenth, was inspired by a winning two at the twentieth, to beat the British Open champion, R. de Vicenzo (Argentina), one up. Americans scored two big wins, W. Casper beating B. Devlin (Australia), 9 and 8, and A. Palmer defeating G. Knudson (Canada), 5 and 4. In the semi-finals, Thomson will meet Player and Palmer will play Casper.