Nagle takes his seventh P.G.A. title

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33734, 6 January 1975, Page 22

Nagle takes his seventh P.G.A. title

(N«w Zealand Pre/s Atsoeiation) TAURAXGA. A quietly-played one-under-par 70 was more than adequate in the heat at Mount Maunganui yesterday to give the veteran Australian. Kel Xagle. hix seventh New Zealand P.G.A. title, and his third in succession.

Nagle finished with a 17-under-par 267 for 72 holes, and beat his countryman. Lindsay Sharp, by five strokes.

The New Zealander. John Lister, was third, on 273, and Howard Kennedy, who was leading the chase after Nagle at the start of the last round, was equal fourth with the Australians, Bill Dunk, Peter; Croker and Stewart Ginn, one stroke further behind.

Starting the final round 16 under—four ahead of Kennedy—Nagle made a shaky beginning. He struggled to nar the first hole, and then

dropped two strokes at the second after putting his approach shot in a bunker and three-putting. Another bad tee shot on the third left him struggling to reach the green from be--1 hind a tree, but a chip and Ha 15-foot putt gave him a ■jbrave par. ; | From that -point, Nagle i never faltered, and he went •| serenely along, picking up ibirdies at the tenth, thirteenth (and seventeenth, to have five j stroke in hand when he teedioff at the eighteenth. Dropped away His chief rivals had all started challenging runs, but then fallen away. Kennedy dropped behind early in the day, with one-overs at the third, fourth and fifth, and had a mediocre 73. Walter Godfrey came within striking distance of Nagle with birdies at the fourth, sixth and twelfth, but he dropped a stroke at the fifth, two at the eleventh, and one more on the eightenth, and finally finished eighth. Sharp, who had started 10 under, gave Nagle his biggest threat as he crept up to 14 under with birdies at the fourth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth. But, like the others, he slumped away again, dropping shots on the thirteenth and eighteenth. Laster rallies Lister, who was also 10 under, started badly, dropping strokes at the third, seventh and ninth. He rallied with birdies at 6, 13, 14 and 15, and in spite of a loss at the eighteenth after having tree trouble, he sneaked into third position, to head the New Zealand brigade. Leading scores were.— 267: K. Nagle (Aus.), 65, 67. 65. 70. 272: L. Sharp (Aus.). 70. 67. 66, 69. 273: J. Lister (N.Z.). 67. 67. 69. 70. 274: P. Croker (Aus.), 72, 66, 71. 65; S. Ginn (Aus.), 69. 68, 69 68. E. W. Dunk (Aus.), 68. 65, 71. 70; H. Kennedy (N.Z.), 68. 66. 67. 73. 275: W. Godfrey (N.Z.). 70. 64. 68. 73. 476: B. Jamieson (Dannevirke , 70. 70, 68 68; T. C. Kendal! (N.Z.), 71, 68, 68. 69; S. Owen (N.Z.), 67, 70, 67, 72. 278: -S. Reese (Hamilton) 70. 71, 66, 71; I. Stanley (Aus.), 66. 70, 71, 71; M. Bohen (U.S.), 69. 71, 71, 67. 279: W. Macintosh (N.Z.) 68. 72, 72. 67; R. J. Charles (N.Z.). 69, 71, 69 , 70; J. Sheargold (Aus.), 68, 63, 76, 72.