SPALDING MASTERS GOLF Marsh wins his second successive tourney

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32495, 4 January 1971, Page 3

SPALDING MASTERS GOLF Marsh wins his second successive tourney

(New Zealand Press Association) * TAURANGA. When the Watties champion, G. V. Marsh (Australia) came to Tauranga last week for the Spalding Masters $5OOO golf tournament, little did he think that for a second tournament in succession he would take the winner’s cheque.

But this was the case on Saturday, for after a dour, cutthroat last-round struggle he emerged from a three-way clash with G. B. Wolstenholme and the New Zealander, R. J. Charles, to win the event by two strokes from Wolstenholme and three from Charles.

Marsh in the early stages of the tournament was somewhat in the background but always a threat —and when he started the last round on Saturday, one stroke ahead of Charles, who had behind him a record four-round score of 260 on the Tauranga course it was obvious that there would not be much between them at the end. Then there was Wolstenholme, who had always done well on the course, and showing plenty of concentration, placed equal with Charles at this point.

After the third round, early contenders for the lead, such as the Americans, J. Albus and B. Osborne, the New Zealanders, J. Carter and B. Kendall, and the Australian A. Snape, had all had their moment in the spotlight, and then faded—to leave the final round a three way battle. A fine battle A fine battle it was. Charles and Marsh, playing together for the day, matched each other almost stroke for stoke, arid the large gallery which disregarded wet mid-day conditions was treated to some of the best golf seen from a pair at the tournament It was almost an exhibition on its own. Wolstenholme, out in front with another contender, the Australian P. Harvey, had only a small following—which was a pity, for he was in fine form, having played steady golf throughout the tourney I During the afternoon, the lead alternated between these three players, all of whom had their problems, Charles’s being a three-putt at the eighth hole, Marsh a poor stroke at the eleventh, and Wolstenholme a suckered ball at the front of the fourteenth green, at a time when he had a fine chance to go two ahead. Wolstenholme was back in the club house well before the other two, and with his score on the board was possibly in the box seat, although it was an anxious time for him

The pressure was on the other two, and while Marsh said afterwards that he knew Wolstenholme had finished well and that he was not

“playing Charles head to head,” both he and Charles must have been under considerable tension. With Charles and Marsh 12 under coming up to the sixteenth, the scoreboard showed Wolstenholme home 12 under the card. Then the tournament took a dramatic turn. Charles missed the green with his approach and made a par. while Marsh, after hitting over trees, landed his shot near the flag to sink it for a birdie.

Charles then missed a 4ft putt on the seventeenth, while on the eighteenth Marsh’s second really decided the issue when it landed only 6ft from the flag for him to pick up another birdie. Charles’s lapse on the seventeenth let Wolstenholme in for second money. “As it came” Marsh’s win must have been most satisfying, after being second to Charles in the New Zealand Open. He said afterwards that the main thing he had done was keep his rhythm and play each hole as it came.

Marsh was watched by his wife, his six-year-old son and two-year-old daughter. He said that his eagle at the thirteenth in the last round had given him a tremendous lift, and the incentive to “get on with it.” It had been a task of concentrating on the homeward ■holes, as there had been still nothing in the tournament at the tenth, and it had been easy to fritter away strokes on the last four holes without getting much off line, he said. Wolstenholme, who had felt that 14-under would be a winning score before the tournament, said that he had concentrated on keeping straight and out of trouble, but had missed many putts. “Marsh’s effort was a fine one, for as it turned out I had the easy part of the game, being ahead of them,” he said. Amateur leader The amateur section was won by the big Tokoroa

player, E. McDougall, who finished six ahead of the Tauranga player, K. Carter, leader for the first two rounds.

Carter dropped back to third after his third round of 71, being behind T. Leach, but Leach had an 80 in the afternoon, and the positions were reversed again.

L. Ziegler, the American, finished the tournament with a tremendous burst of scoring, showing his real form, and had he not had a 74 on the second day, could have easily won the event.

He and the New Zealander J. Lister, were fourth. Lister had an expensive morning round, especially when he lost a ball in the gully on the sixth. ' S. G. Jones, the Hastings amateur, who won the tournament last year, finished well back in the field.

Over-all, McDougall was tenth equal with P. Thomson —sporting a buccaneer-type beard—the New Zealand World Cup player, B. Boys, V. Bennetts (who started well but finished badly), and D Clark, now of Gisborne.

Leading scores 266—G. Marsh (Australia), 67, 67, 66, 66. 268 G. Wolstenholme (Australia). 68, 68. 65, 67. 269 R. Charles (New Zealand), 65, 69, 67, 68. 271 L. Ziegler (United States), 67, 74, 65, 65; J. Lister (New Zealand), 68, 67, 69, 67. 272 P. Harvey (Australia), 68, 67, 68, 69. 273 J. Carter (New Zealand), 70, 71, 64, 68. 274 J. Albus (United States), 64, 70, 72, 68. 276—8. Rafferty (New Zealand), 70. 68, 68, 70. 278 Stolhand (United States), 68, 61, 69, 70. 279 *E. McDougall (Tokoroa), 70, 71, 66, 72; B. Boys (New Zealand), 74, 67, 71, 67; V. Bennetts (Australia). 66, 73, 72, 68; P. Thomson (Australia), 67, 72, 69, 71; D, Clark (New Zealand), 68, 70, 70, 71. 280— K. Garner (Australia), 71,

71, 66, 72; T. Kendall (New Zealand), 66, 73, 73, 68; F. Malloy (New Zealand), 66, 71, 72, 71. 281—B. Osborne (New Zealand), 67, 67, 74, 73. 283 P. Hart (New Zealand), 71, 68, 74, 70; A. Snape (New Zealand), 65, 67, 80, 71. 284 P. Murray (Australia), 68, 70, 77, 69; D. Ingram (Australia). 67, 70, 69, 78. 285 P. Morgan (Australia), 71, 71, 71, 72; *K. Carter (Tauranga), 70, 69, 71, 75. •Denotes amateur.