COXON TWICE BEAT PAR FOR SIX-STROKE WIN

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31538, 28 November 1967, Page 19

COXON TWICE BEAT PAR FOR SIX-STROKE WIN

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI.

Rocketing to the front with a magnificent eagle three on the first hole of his afternoon round, B. Coxon (Australia) yesterday scored a walkaway win in the inaugural $2OOO professional Landrover golf tournament in Wanganui.

Coxon, the only I golfer to tame par twice in the one-day, 36-hole tournament, carded a superb second round 65 to go with his morning 69 to win the $4OO first prize by six strokes. Thankful to be back on familiar ground—he was the course professional at Hokowhitu, Palmerston North, in 1963 and 1964 and paid frequent visits to Belmont— Coxon produced his most impressive form in several seasons.

Nearly Record

His 65, which included an eagle, three birdies and 14 bogeys, was only two outside the course record set by P. W. Thomson in the 1963 New Zealand Open. The course today, however, is considerably longer.

R. J. Charles came back strongly with a one-under 69 yesterday afternoon to tie with F. Phillips (Australia), the first-round leader, for second place. In fourth place was the bighitting Auckland professional, F. Malloy, with 141. W. J. Godfrey (N.Z.) and yet another Australian, J. Kelly, shared fifth place on 142. The amateur spotlight fell on the former Wellington Freyberg Rose Bowl player, P K. Creighton, who carded rounds of 73 and 72 to finish in eighth equal place overall.

The weather was perfect and could have had little to do with the generally disappointing scoring. Had Coxon been able to “read” the greens a little better, Thomson’s course record would have been shattered. There was little in his morning round of 69 to give an indication of the excitement to follow.

He was out in 34, par figures, but the first of his two eagles at the eleventh enabled

| hun to come home one-under to trail Phillips by a stroke. A second eagle at the eleventh, his first hole of the afternoon, obviously gave him the confidence to continue the round without deviating from par apart from his three birdies. His irons to the green landed with such wonderful precision that he putted for , birdies on each of the 18 , holes—a remarkable achieve- . ment. But his putter refused , to co-operate more often than . not and he had to be content . with his fine 65. The Charles who played • yesterday was obviously not the Charles who collected a record $72,000-plus on the American circuit this year, j His drives, and occasion- , ally his approaches, were too often off line for him to ex- : pect to card any better than . his 71-69—140 to tie with , Phillips in second place. A series of misplaced approach shots, each of which , landed in bunkers, ruined a morning round in which put-

ting saved the day for Charles. Godfrey looked well-placed to make a real bid for top honours, after his steady par--70 morning round. Indeed, he was well in the running for second place when he passed the eleventh in the afternoon two under. But, in Godfrey’s own words: “The wind got me then.” His tee shot at the twelfth hit the trees and his chip was short. The net result, was a two-over five. But worse was to follow. The young professional ruined his chances by dropping strokes at each of the next three holes. He then gave a glimpse of his wonderful temperament by sinking a fine birdie putt on the eighteenth for a twoover 72 and fifth equal place. 134—8. Coxon (Australia), 69, 65. 140— R. J. Charles (unattached, New Zealand), 71, 69; F. Phillips (Australia), 68, 72. 141— F. Malloy (Auckland), 71, 70.

!42—J. Kelly (Australia), 69. 73; W. J. Godfrey (unattached. New Zealand), 70, 72. 144 D. Clark (Rotorua). 74, 70. 145 *P. K. Creighton (Hastings), 73, 72; G. Donald (Australia), 71, 74. 146 *R. Hardy (Hamilton), 74, 72. 147 J. M. Lister (unattached. New Zealand), 71, 76: S. McHardy (North Shore), 71, 76; M. Gregson (Britain), 73, 74; B. G. Bent (Australia), 74, 73; *B. M. Silk (Wanganui), 75, 72; P. Lee (Britain), 76, 71

148—*P. M. Lacy (Paraparaumu), 75, 73: *M. R. Osman (Wanganui), 75, 73; R. J. Shaw (Australia). 75 72.

\ 49 — K - D. (J. Nagle (Austialia). 76, 73: G. Wolstenholme (Britain), 73, 76; L. Thomas (Australia). 74, 75; J. Croskery (Auckland). 76 73.

150—C. Nagle (Australia), 78. 72; *G. E. Clark (Dunedin), 75. 75; *J. F. Collins (Wanganui), 74, 76; M. Rosesink (Holland). 77. 73; *H. R. Carver (Hastings) 77, 73; *F. X. Buckler (Hamilton). 78, 72.

Others were:—lsl, *J. p. Means (Wanganui); 152, E. A. Southerden (Napier); 153, *A. Palmer (Oamaru), M. Bembridge (Britain); 154, P. J. Connell (Australia); 157, K. D. Foxton (Nelson); 158. *A. J. W. Kidd (Dunedin); 159, H. McHutchinson (Australia): 170, *B, T. Gough (Christchurch).