Murray Has Fine Aggregate

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31809, 14 October 1968, Page 28

Murray Has Fine Aggregate

(Special Crspdt. N.ZP.A ) MELBOURNE. The Temuka golfer, R. C. Murray, had the eighth best individual total in the 1968 Eisenhower Trophy world men’s amateur team trophy which ended at Royal Melbourne on Saturday. Mu. ray’s four-round total was 294—-two over par—and only eight strokes behind the individual leaders, M. Bonallack (Britain) and M. Giles (United States). New Zealand could not improve its second or third round placing and ended in seventh position. The scores of the first seven nations were: United States 868, Britain 869, Canada 885, Australia 886, South Africa 889, Mexico 893 and New Zealand 895. Tight Finish

The championship had a fantastic finish as the United States overhauled Britain's seven-stroke third-round lead, and won on the last green when R. D. Shade (Britain)

saw his sevfen-foot putt lip the hole and stay out. Moments earlier the last United States golfer, R. Siderowf, who needed a par on the last to take the trophy, played a second into a bunker and dropped a stroke when he failed to get down in two.

Shade chipped from off the green to within seven feet and had his chance to enforce an 18-hole play-off between the two countries. Though he appeared to read the line of the putt perfectly it took late borrow inches from the hole and did not drop. Greens Costly

The greens cost New Zealand a higher placing in the event. They were so much larger and faster with borrow and undulations than anything experienced in New Zealand that the four golfers never settled to confident putting. though B. A. Stevens handled them well early in the contest

The United States with its brilliant young team, and Britain with Its experienced group, supported by P. Oosterhuis, were clearly the best teams comnetlng, but little separated the next five teams.

New Zealand’s individual scores were: Murray 294 (75, 74, 72, 73); Stevens 301 (74, 74, 76, 77); E. J. McDougall 302 (75, 75, 77, 75), and J. E. Durry 305 (76, 75, 75, 79). Murray fought back well to return a par round of 73 after being two over at the turn. He was within nine inches of a hole-in-one at the fifth, but three-putted the next green. He then birdied the tenth and fourteenth holes and though he had chances to sink putts of six feet on two more holes coming home for birdies he was unable to judge the borrow on the greens. In Rough McDougall dropped strokes on the fifth, sixth and seventh holes going out when he twice drove into the rough and on one occasion was bunkered. Out in 38, three-over, he sank a five-foot putt for a birdie at the fourteenth but he missed a four-footer for another birdie on the next hole and played par golf from then for his 75. A bunkered approach and three putts at the fourth cost Stevens two strokes and he dropped another stroke when he three-putted the next hole.

He missed the green at the ninth and was out in 39, fourover.

A birdie at the tenth was followed by another bunkered approach and three putts at the twelfth and another two dropped strokes. Stevens birdied the fourteenth to be back in 38 for his 77. Poorer Round

Two holes cost Durry fiv'i strokes on the outward nine. He hooked his second at the sixth and dropped strokes and when he got in the rough at the ninth he took five strokes to make the green and ended with a seven, three over. Two 12-foot putts for birdies at the twelfth and fourteenth brought him back to two-over. Durry dropped four strokes on the last three holes. Leading players In unofficial Individual standings for the 72-hole aggregate are:— * 286 —M. Bonallick (Britain), 72, 72, 66, 76: M. Giles (United States), 74, 68. 71, 73. 289. —P. Oosterhufs (Britain), 70, 71, 72, 76: R- Siderowf (United States), 74. 69, 73, 73. 291—K. Donohoe (Australia), 68, 75, 72, 76: E. Peres (Mexico), 72, 69, 72, 78. 293—G. Cowan (Capadfe), 76, 69, 72, 79.

294 R. Murray (New Zea land), 75, 74, 72, 73. 295 R. Shade (Britain), 76. 72, 70,77.