Palmer Takes Another £5000

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31501, 16 October 1967, Page 24

Palmer Takes Another £5000

(N.Z.P.A. -Reuter —Copyright) WENTWORTH. The American, A. Palmer, golf’s biggest money-winner, boosted his earnings by another £5OOO on Saturday when he beat the Australian, P. Thomson, one up in a thrilling, topsy-turvy final of the Piccadilly world match-play championship.

All square with nine holes to play, the American, who won the inaugural championship in 1964, hit one of his famous “purple patches.” He won three of the next four holes, then survived a late rally by Thomson to clinch the tournament It was a superb battle throughout. Thomson, five times winner of the British Open, was at his best in the cold, blustery conditions. He was three up after 12 holes, reaching the turn on his first round in a brilliant three-under-par 33. Level After 18 But Thomson, unsettled by an error on the thirteenth, lost the initiative and Palmer, playing immaculate golf, was even after 18 holes. ' Palmer took the lead for the first time on the twentyfifth with a 30-foot putt which curled into the cup. Thomson pulled him back at the next hole and they reached the turn all square. Tailed by a huge crowd, Palmer unleashed the best golf of the whole tournament, winning the twenty-eighth with a birdie two, the thirtieth with an eagle three and the thirty-first with a birdie three. But Thomson fought back magnificently to take the thirty-second and thirty-third holes, and only a masterful 20ft putt on the thirty-fourth green saved the American’s lead. In a finish full of sus-

pense, they halved the last two holes.

The 38-year-old Thomson, who has now won well over £lO,OOO in the last six weeks in Britain, said afterwards: “The better man won—but I was well paid for it. Perhaps too well.” In the semi-finals on Friday, Palmer beat W. Casper (United States), 3 and 2, and Thomson defeated G. Player (South Africa), 2 And 1.