TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY AT GOLF COURSE Murray resists challenge, equals qualifying best

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33033, 28 September 1972, Page 30

TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY AT GOLF COURSE Murray resists challenge, equals qualifying best

(By

R. T. BRITTENDEN)

It was another triumph for R. C. Murray at Waitikiri yesterday. For the second year in succession, he headed the qualifiers in the amateur championship, and his score of 140 was equal to the best since the St Andrew’s Salver was presented to the best qualifier nine years ago.

With length off the tees, strength and judgment with his irons, Murray had a second two-under 70. He resisted a brilliant challenge by his friend and rival, S. G. Jones, who finished two strokes behind.

But if Murray won an important and meritorious success, the day also belonged to the Auckland player, R. D. Gillespie, whose 68 becomes a record for the new course, changes having been made since R. J. Charles had a similar score about two years ago. Stevenson out It was a day of fine and sometimes thrilling golf, culminating in a five-way playoff for the final two qualifying places. A former titleholder, G. C. Stevenson, was among those eliminated. The weather was the best of the tournament, warm and almost windless. And Wai-

tikiri, from early morning, was a splendid stage for a cast of 90. Even so, Murray needed a prompt at first. He hit a poor first drive, dropped a shot at the second, but from the moment a spectator remarked to him that it seemed a splendid sort of day to have a birdie at the fourth, he was in command. Birdie run There, he holed a 20footer, uphill and curving, for his 3. Fine driving, some excellent pitches, and sound putting kept him on top. At the 404-yard seventh, he needed little more than a chip after a prodigious drive, and there was a birdie to reward him.

A penalty for being in the ditch after dragging his tee shot at the tenth did not deprive him of his par, and he went on to birdie the eleventh and thirteenth, then the fourteenth from only four feet.

He faltered only at the finish. Again he dropped a shot at the short seventeenth, this time being bunkered, and tree trouble cost him another at the final hole.

Behind him by about three hours in time, but never more than one or two in strokes, was the redoubtable “Emperor” Jones, who played a brilliant round of 69, achieved through far more precise golf than he had played in the closing holes the previous day.

He hit every green going out—a remarkable run—and six more coming home. He took full advantage of the chances offered after the turn, with birdies at 10, 11, and 13; at the eleventh, the 4 came after a beautiful 40yard pitch over a bunker. Careless putt At the final hole, he was safely on for 2, but had a 20-foot downhill putt. Well aware that he needed a birdie to share the lead with Murray, he charged the hole, and having missed, putted a little carelessly, to miss the return. So he was deprived of sharing the record with Gillespie. The fair-haired Aucklander gave a great display. He is not the strongest hitter in the field, but he is one of the most meticulous organisers of a shot. He was not fussy, simply studious, and the

thought he gave his game paid dividends. “A good course and a pleasure to play on,” he said afterwards. It was also a pleasure to watch him. Gillespie is a very fine putter, and like Jones, he hit 15 greens. He was five under after 14 holes, having been an inch short of an eagle at the thirteenth. He dropped only one shot, at the sixteenth, where his drive was on the wrong side of the trees, and he needed the length of a 5-iron in his attempt for the green. The ball was well hit, but had insufficient height to clear the last branches. Although he played a splendid chip, his putter failed him for once, from about seven feet. He very nearly made amends

at the short seventeenth, lipping the cup from 30 feet. Best of the Canterbury competitors was the slim and youthful C. J. Smale, of Russley, who had a brilliant run after the turn, with birdies at four successive holes. They came from putts of 4, 12, 18 and 3 feet, and they took him from three over to one under. Smale, with aggressive and accurate golf, held this score bravely over the last few holes. Change of luck The New Zealand representative, G. E. Clarke, felt that he failed to celebrate his twenty-sixth birthday satisfactorily. He putted poorly, by his own good standards, but after being four over in the first five holes, held on stoicially and qualified easily. J. M. Hagar must have felt it was time to stop the world so that he could get off when his drive at the seventh looped out into the trees, and two more provisional tee shots went the same way. But he was fortunate enough to find the first ball, and although the hole cost him 6, he fought on with heart and skill.

On the previous day, a pitch which hit the flag cost

him dearly. This time, he was more fortunate. He looked certain to fly well through the second green, but a second bounce found the bottom of the pin and the ball screwed back only a few inches from the hole.

R. J. Carr, second equal in the first round, again played well but finished indifferently, dropping four shots at the last four holes. The powerful E. J McDougall suffered a similar fate, putting his second at the last hole Into the car park.