New pro. leads tourney

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32494, 2 January 1971, Page 3

New pro. leads tourney

(N.Z. Press Association) TAURANGA. Playing at the tail of the field, A. Snape (Auckland) came through confidently to overcome the pressure of low scores registered by early leaders to take the honours by two strokes yesterday, halfway through the Spalding Masters $5OOO golf tournament at Tauranga.

He headed a strong challenge by B. Osborne and J. Albus of the United States, R. J. Charles (New Zealand) and G. Marsh (Australia).

All these players could easily have held a lead but the back nine proved disastrous for cards, especially the thirteenth where the racecourse claimed many victims, and started the rot for one of the rodnd-honour contenders, T. Kendall.

Conditions were good for the day’s play. Scoring was low and varied, although not up to the standard of the previous day’s play, when Albus equalled the course record of 64.

Snape, Who qualified as a member of the New Zealand Professional Golfers’ Association only three months ago, impressed with his iron play. His first round of 65 was made up of an outward 31 with four birdies, and a homeward nine of 34, with one birdie. In the second round, he made only one mistake by driving into the trees jat the thirteenth, and dropping his only shot in 36 holes. G. Marsh, the former i schoolteacher who last year

in the Bay Festival of Golf gave more than a hint of his potential, continued like a tournament winner again yesterday with another 67, making him the most consistent player in the event, although the American, Osborne, was quietly keeping in the picture also, with two 675. The overnight leader, Albus, who has been a professional for only three years, was off early and was back at the scoreboard to watch most of those challenging his lead crash. His round of 70 "(par with the course) was tidily put together, although his putting deserted him on the first nine.

Charles, who two years ago set a tournament record with a fantastic 260, looked as though he was again going to score this way yesterday. He was eight under par coming to the thirteenth, but with a

bad shot went into the racecourse, this costing him two strokes and putting a six on his card, a figure which looked most out. of place in his five-under round. Charles missed the green on the fourteenth, which cost him the chance to lead the field. He found the greens a little slow for his liking. P. Thomson (Australia), sporting the makings of a beard after a fishing trip in the Bay of Plenty, after a 67 on the first day had a round yesterday which suffered a little from the festive air of the tourney and finished with a 72. However, the disaster of the day was that of the former P.G.A. champion, T. Kendall, who after being eight under the card—two strokes better than the lead—dropped seven strokes in the last six holes.

He must have wondered what was going to happen next. He went into the racecourse, dropping two strokes, and then proceeded to lose strokes for the rest of the round, including another two at the fifteenth, where he was under a tree, and had to use the back of a club to get out. He finished on 139, five strokes behind the leaders, after coming into the day two strokes behind. J. Lister, the tall Timaru player, had a good round and must have been happy with his 67, which included four successive birdies from : the tenth. He looked as though he could have picked up further strokes, but they just eluded him as he played equal with the card, although the eighteenth cost him a final stroke. The top amateur on the day was K. Carter, the former Wellington Freyberg Rosebowl player, who has been using local knowledge to advantage on his home course.; His 70 and 69 placed him right up with the top professionals. He managed yesterday to sink some handy putts. He was followed by the young Wanganui player, S. Owen, who carded an impressive 67 to lead the New Zealand representative, E. McDougall by one stroke over the two rounds. McDougall had a 71 yesterday, but was overshadowed also by C. Hurihanganui, j who redeemed his 80 of last! year’s tournament with a 68. Trouble on the greens plagued last year’s tourney winner, S. Jones, who could not sink a putt in his 73, although he was more than happy with the rest of his | game.