Winds Upset Top Golfers

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31729, 12 July 1968, Page 13

Winds Upset Top Golfers

(N.Z. Press Association—Cop®risht> CARNOUSTIE. The world’s golfing elite recoiled under cold, stinging winds as the Carnoustie “monster” sprang to life to catch most of the field in the first round of the British Open championship yesterday.

Only eight players equalled or bettered par on the tough seaside links as the temperatures suddenly dropped and scores soared.

Among the eight was the New Zealander, R. J. Charles, who fired a par 72 in the calmer conditions early in the day, to be equal fifth in the field of 130. K. D. G. Nagle, rarely off line in a steady 74, returned the best Australian score, followed by the young R. Shaw, 75.

The favourite, J. Nicklaus, putted 37 times and had no birdies in a round of 76. His fellow American, A. Palmer, working hard on the comeback trail, had a 77, in company with the defending champion, R. de Vicenzo (Argentina). It was Britain's day, with its three promising B’s— Barnes, Bonallack and Bembridge—shooting to the top. The British amateur champion. M. J. Bonallack, aged 33, enjoying a great year, and the young hopeful, B. Barnes, 10 years younger and dressed in flaming red, had two under 70s to share the lead. Casper Joins Charles Following them was M. Bembridge, on 71, who dropped two strokes on the last three holes to forfeit his chance for the outright lead. Also on 71 was P. R. Mills, a former British Ryder Cup player. The American, W. Casper, played quietly for 72, to join Charles and the young British professionals, T. Jacklin and P. Skerritt Jacklin, who has been competing successfully on the rich United States circuit, was out in 33. but had a disastrous seven at the eleventh to come back in 39.

The South African, G. Player, one of the top contenders and the 1959 winner, fired a 74, to be bracketed with eight other players. "I was very lucky to get a par because I played absolute tripe, and it was not all that difficult out there,” Player said.

Palmer, with a big gallery despite the biting wintery weather, said his putting under pressure had got him out of trouble on several holes. But he could not make the ban drop when putting for

birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth.

Of the other rated players, the 20-year-old South African, R. Cole, shot a 75, and the Americans, D. Sanders, 78, G. Brewer 74 and B. Yancey 78. After the second round, only the leading 70 scorers, plus ties for seventieth place, will go through to the third round. (British players unless stated.) 70— ’M. F. Bonnallack, B. Barnes. 71— P. Mills. M. Bembridge. 72 R. J. Charles (New Zealand); W. Casper (United States), A. Jacklin, P. Skerritt. 73 P. Alliss, A. Wilson, S. Miguel (Spain). 74 H. Bannerman, D. Huish, A. Balding (Canada), G. Brewer (United States), M. Faulkner, G. Player (South Africa), K. Nagle (Australia), D. Talbot. 75 A. Fisher, L. Ruiz (Argentine), D. Thomas. R. T. Walker, N. C. Coles. R. J. Shaw (Australia). R. Cole (South Africa), G. Greene. 76 C. A. Clark, P. Green. R. Bernadini (Italy). P. J. Butler. J. Burns, J. Nicklaus (United States), S. Peach (Australia), L. Platts. D. Butler, P. M. Townsend, H. Muscroft. R. Fiddler, B. G. Huggett. E. Brown.

77—*R. Monguzzi (Argentina), H. Weetman, H. Habjan (United States), P Oosterhuis, R. H. Emery. I. Richardson, H. Boyle. W. Large, R. de Vicenzi (Argentina). M. Gregson. P W. Thomson (Australia), M. B. Ingham, M. Murphy, Mohamed Said Moussa (U.A.R.). J. Panton, B Devlin (Australia), B. J. Coxon (Australia). D. Webster, A. Palmer (United States), T. Horton.

78—D. Sanders (United States). J. Pittman (United States), C. El Sayed (U.A.R.), J. Hitchcock, T. Woolbank (Australia). *R. Sweeney, G. Wolstenholme, D T. Parsonage. D. Smart, J. Kinsella. J. R. Garner. J. G. Morcillo (Spain). B. Yancey (United States), N. V. Drew. (• Denotes amateurs.)