Godfrey holds on to lead

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32764, 15 November 1971, Page 24

Godfrey holds on to lead

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SYDNEY.

W. J. Godfrey, of New Zealand, yesterday withstood a late challenge to win the 54-hole Cumberland golf tournament by one stroke from the American, M. Bohen.

Godfrey finished with a 12-under-par total of 201 after a final round of 71. Bohen’s 69 gave him 202. ■ The last hole was played in torrential rain, with both [Godfrey and Bohen, playing together, taking par fives. LEVEL TERMS Godfrey, the overnight leader, saw his three-stroke advantage disappear after only five holes of the final round. Bohen had two birdies ;and an eagle while Godfrey ; struggled to get par figures. After seven holes, Bohen was two strokes ahead, but this was cancelled out when Godfrey birdied the eighth and Bohen had a one-over. With nine holes to play, the pair were level at 11 under par for the tournament, while the Australian, P. Harvey, in the group in front, was only one behind them.

Harvey played solidly but was unable to do better than par figures the rest of the way home, and could make no inroads on the leaders. UPS AND DOWNS The lead see-sawed on the back nine. Bohen birdied the tenth but dropped a stroke on the eleventh; Godfrey parted both holes. Bohen went ahead again at the par-five twelfth when he

1 put a wedge to within 3ft f of the pin for an easy birdie. . Godfrey had a fine chance to ■ equal the American when he I hit two great shots just short of the green but a weak chip left him with a long putt. 1 Godfrey then took ever i from the thirteenth hole, a 1 short par-three. He sank a 15ft putt for a birdie, and when Bohen took three putts [ from the edge, the New Zea- > lander was not again headed. r GOT HIS PARS 1 Godfrey scrambled pars at s each of the last five holes by l recovering from a number of . difficult positions. At the 1 seventeenth, he visited two t bunkers before holing a 3ft i putt for a par. J Bohen’s last opportunity to catch Godfrey was at the , short sixteenth where his tee L shot finished 3ft from the - hole, but he failed to make , the putt. i Harvey finished a stroke i behind Bohen with his final round of 70. Another New

I Zealander. T. Kendall, with i a four-under 67, was fourth. ' Leading scores were (Aus- : tralians unless noted): 201: Godfrey, 65, 65, 71. 202: Bohen, 64, 69. 69. , 203: Harvey. 67, 66, 70. - 206: Kendall, 71, 68. 67. ! 207: J. Stolhand (Hawaii), 68, > 70, 69. ' 209: P. Tierney, -73. 69. 67; F. ' Phillips, 68, 70, 71; D. Ingram (South Africa), 67, 70. 72; R. f Wilson. 68, 70, 71; D. Good, 68, 69 72; B. Hodson 69 . 68, 72; B. - Jones, 68, 68, 73.