CHARLES FAVOURED

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31876, 2 January 1969, Page 12

CHARLES FAVOURED

(N.Z. Press Association) TAURANGA. The New Zealand left - hander, R. J. Charles, is favoured to win the Spalding Masters 72-hole golf tournament, which will begin today. In his present form, he may break the record of 63 on the par-71, 6103-yard Tauranga course. In 1968, the Timaru professional, J. M. Lister, described by Charles as having the best and smoothest swing in New Zealand, set the pace with a 64, only to have the Tasmanian, R. Shaw, the New Zealand P.G.A. champion, equal it after missing a 2ft putt on the sixteenth. Then, the erratic M. Roesink (Netherlands) scored a birdie three on the last green

to set the existing record of 63 (eight under par). The major interest on the first day of the tournament will be in the grouping of Charles, the visiting United States woman professional, Miss M. Smith and the top amateur, S. G. Jones. The withdrawal of the Australian, E. W. Dunk, has left the title wide open, and although Charles is favoured to take it, Shaw and R. Stanton (Australia), G. B. Wolstenholme (Britain) and the New Zealanders, W. J. Godfrey and Lister, are expected to finish in the money. It is almost a certainty that Charles, winner of the Caltex,

Wattie’s and Takapuna LodgeStars Travel tournaments will pick up the 810 which separates him from K. D. G. Nagle, who leads the money winners with $3OlO, on the New Zealand circuit. Miss H. Booth, of Hamilton, will now be a starter in the Stars Travel $5OOO P.G.A. championship tournament to be played at Mount Maunganui from January 6-8. Three other women players to take part in the tournament are Misses U. Wickham (Tauranga), H. Mowat (Manawatu), and G. Taylor (Te Awamutu). Miss Booth has been flaying overseas but will return in time for the event.