Player Beaten In Play-off

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31661, 23 April 1968, Page 17

Player Beaten In Play-off

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WILMONTON (North Carolina). S. Reid (United States) sank a six-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden death play-off to beat the favoured South African, G. Player, in the $U535,000 Azalea Open golf tournament.

Both Reid and Player had earlier finished regulation play with 13-under-par 271 totals for the 72 holes. B. Devlin (Australia) finished third with a fourround total of 272.

Player putted up the green, over a ridge, and missed the cup by an inch. Reid holed out for a birdie three and the first prize. Player, who has not won a tournament in America since the 1965 United States Open, played the best golf of the day to score 66. Starting five strokes behind the third-round leader, B. Lunn (United States), the South African collected four birdies on the last nine holes to move into the tie with Reid.

In the play-off Reid, who had not won a professional tournament before, drove his second shot on the parfour, 345 yd second hole to within six feet of the cup; Player's second shot landed close to the lip of the green 40ft from the pin.

The loss in the play-off was Player’s eleventh straight defeat.

Lunn, who set course and tour records for this year in leading the first three rounds, had three bogeys and a birdie to fall into a tie for fourth at 11-under-par 273 with another American, S. Carmichael. D. January Recovers (N.Z P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) LAS VEGAS (Nevada). D. _ January won the 150,000 Tournament of Champions at Las Vegas yesterday when he scored a two-under-par 69 for a total 276. January, recovering from a bout of influenza on Sunday, won $30,000 for four days play at the 6708 yd Stardust Country Club course. J. Boros finished a stroke behind January at 278. R. Glover was third with 279. “I was pretty sick yesterday,” said January, the Professional Golf Association champion. “1 could have shot anything, I guess. I was very fortunate today.” The Masters champion, R. Goalby, the third-round leader with 206, had a final round of 75 to finish fourth at 281, tied with G. Dickinson. R. J. Charles had a final round of 68, three under par. His total of 283 put him on equal sixth to win $5750.