SINGLE STROKE VICTORY Airlines golf to Brask from Peter Thomson

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34002, 17 November 1975, Page 28

SINGLE STROKE VICTORY Airlines golf to Brask from Peter Thomson

(From ROB SCHUMACHER)

AUCKLAND.

ITie end could not come soon enough for the 28-year-old American professional. Bill Brask, in the final round of the $35,000 New Zealand Airlines Golf Classic at The Grange yesterday.

j As the incomparable i Australian master, Peter Thomson, made heavyinroads into Brask’s seemingly unassailable lead of five strokes with eight holes remaining, I the t ension and strain—- | although not visibly evildent—was mounting inside the emotionless I American.

But Brask, thinking of safety first and not always succeeding, survived a series of little crises from the eleventh to the seventeenth and a traumatic experience on the final hole to finish one stroke ahead of Thomson and collect the winner’s purse of $7OOO.

Although Thomson and his American partner, Rod Funseth, teed off directly ahead of Brask and Rodger Davis (Australia), the former pair careered around the course at a great rate and finished as Brask and Davis moved down the sixteenth.

Thomson, so often brilliant but by no means infallible, ended with 68 for an aggregate of 277—seven under par for the four rounds. With three holes to play Brask was nine under and remained that at the sixteenth when a birdie putt caressed the hole but stayed out.

"Although I didn’t know Thomson’s final score, I thought two pars would be sufficient to win.” said Brask afterwards. Because he lacked confidence in his bunker shots, Brask deliberately avoided: the traps in front of the sev-l enteenth green and, as a re-* suit, he was through the, green. He chipped back and! holed a "pearler” sft putt. Drive pushed Needing only a one-over par on the final hole. Brask pushed his drive. “There is only one place you don’t want to be and that is in the fairway bunker behind two tall trees,” he said. But he landed in it and had no option other than to blast out on an angle, gaining little ground. His third shot was crucial, but he curled in a fine Biron from 150 yards to within 18ft of the flag. His par attempt missed—but only by 2in—and the tap-in ensured victory. Broad-shouldered and distinctive with his walrus moustache—“l grew it last year to change my appearance”—Brask has enjoyed a

prosperous year, earning almost $lO,OOO on the Australian circuit before coming to Auckland. He was never further back than sixth in the four major Australian tournaments. Brask made his breakaway on Saturday with an unusual round which had more birdies and one-overs than it did pars. He was one under after nine, but there were only two pars on the second nine as he calmly rolled in birdie putts on 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16. His driving faltered on the closing holes and he was inclined to push them right, and skirmishes with trees cost him shots at 14 and 17, but his touch on and around the greens was uncanny, and his high percentage of putts from 10ft and under provided the foundation for his 67. Thomson, who will leave on Tuesday for a tournament in Japan, had his best performance for some time. Last month he damaged tendons in his right arm—lifting a suitcase from a taxi—and he played with his forearm strapped. With his sweet swing—so effortless and economical— Thomson burst into reckoning with a fine 66 on Saturday. He started the round yesterday in second place, four shots behind Brask, but slipped further back with a one-over at the first.

More birdies

The gallery flocked to him as he birdied the third and fifth after hitting under trees and stopping inches from the hole. He exploded from a trap to gain his birdie at the sixth, missed his par narrowly at seven, but steered home a 60ft putt for a birdie at the eighth. A Cyprus tree cost Thomson a stroke at the ninth. He landed directly at the base and was forced to tap clear. However, he applied pressure on Brask bv easily scoring a birdie at 13 and gaining two more at 16 and 17 with putts from 12ft and sft. As it eventuated. the fifteenth was the hole where Thomson lost and Brask won the richest tournament in the country. Thomson missed the green, chipped to Bft. but had his nutt ring ■the edge and stay out. ; About 35 minutes later Brask. at the same hole, “ballooned” his drive to the rwht i again to dodge the trans. But ; t landed well short and his chin was weak. Confronted with a difficult 12ft nutt. he deliberated, then struck it forcefully into the hole for his par. “That, was mv biggest shot of the dav,” he said. Although the tournament developed into a battle be-

■ tween Brask and Thomson - over the final round, there ; were significant changes in ■ the placings. ; Tom Kite, the 1974 City of . Auckland Classic winner, improved on his splendid 68 on , Saturday with 66 — in spite I of a two-over par 7 at the sixth. That was the last shot ■ the American was to drop as . he reeled off birdies at 8,9, 12. 13. 16. and 18. Fourth prize Two Americans, Rod FunI seth and Bob Gilder, both finished with par rounds to share the fourth prize money. I They both had their share of ’ birdies, but also dropped sev- ; eral shots. ■ The tranquil conditions 1 that prevailed on Saturday—- ■ the barest of zephyrs pre- ' vented it from becoming intolerably hot — were tailor1 made for good scoring and '■ the players relished the • chance to fake their ven- : geance on the course. : Twenty-four professionals i either equalled or bettered . par. Gilder and Thomson showing the way with 665. Gilder, who will defend his , New Zealand Open title next . week in Hamilton, started the round two over, but had two ’ birdies on the front nine and j three birdies and a magnificent eagle on the homeward : half. Dropped strokes at the eighth and final hole denied him the opportunity of equalling the course record. John Lister stayed in front of the New Zealand players with four birdies and two one-overs in his 69, and there was further joy in the return to form of Bob Charles, who shot 68 and Terry Kendall 69. It was their best rounds by far, but came too late to threaten the leaders.

Final scores:— 276— W. Brask 'United States), 70. 68. 67. 71. 277— P. W. Thomson (Australia), 73, 70, 66, 68.

280— T. Kite (United States), 72, 74, 68, 66. 281— R. Gilder (United States). 73, 71, 66. 71; R. Funseth (United States), 68, 72, 70, 71. 282— B. Jones (Australia), 70, 71. 71, 70. s 283— P. Crocker (Australia), 73. 72. 70, 68. 284— B, Zlobro (United States). 72, 72, 70, 70; B. Clark (United States), 72, 72. 71. 69: J. Lister (New Zealand), 71, 70, 69, 74. 285— H. Underwood (United States), 73, 71, 71, 70: P. Firmstone (Australia), 68, 75, 73, 69. 286— R. Vines (Australia), 74, 72, 72, 68; XV. Dunk 'Australia), 72, 74. 73, 67.

287—S. Taylor (United States), 70, 68, 75, 74; R. Baird (United States), 73, 73, 72, 69: N. Ratcliffe (Australia). 73, 68. 72, 74.

288— A. Tame (United States), 70, 71, 73, 74; .1. Newton Jun. (Australia), 73, 72, 71. 72; R. McNaughton (Australia), 69, 74, 74, 71; G. XVolstenholme (Australia), 77, 70, 71, 70; S. Owen (New Zealand), 70, 71. 75. 72. 289— M. McCullough (United States), 74, 70, 71, 74; T. Jenkins (United States), 71. 73, 74, 71; E. J. Ball (Australia), 72, 70, 76, 71: N. Wood (United Kingdom). 73, 73, 72. 71; F. Phillips (Australia). 75, 72. 75. 67; M. Bembridge (United Kingdom), 76, 69, 73, 71; B. Zender (United States), 73, 72, 71. 73; D. Good (Australia), 73, 70, 71, 75; G. Archer (United States). 69, 75. 70 , 75. 290— R. Taylor (Australia). 75, 71, 70. 74: M. Bohen (United States). 71, 68, 72, 79. 291— K. Nagle (Australia), 76. 72, 71, 72; D. Iverson (United States), 71, 71. 72, 76.

292— V. Somers (Australia). 73. 72. 73, 74. 293— D. Galloway (Australia), 72, 73, 75, 73; M. Aye (Burma). 74. 73, 74, 72. 294— R. J, Charles (New Zealand), 77, 73, 63, 76; C. Witcher (United States), 73, 75. 73, 73; B. Vivian (New Zealand), 72, 76, 73, 73; R. Tuohy (Australia). 74, 73, 72, 75. 296—8. Flesher (United States), 73, 76, 73, 74; D. Traett (United States), 74, 72, 72, 78; M. Humphries (Australia), 71, 76. 72, 77; N. Newdick (New Zealand), 71, 76. 73, 76.

297— A. Palmer (New Zealand), 73. 75, 74, 75. 298— D. Lind (United States), 76, 74, 72, 76. 300— *P. M. Burney (Manukau), 75. 76, 77, 72 301— *P. F. Garner) (Grange), 73, 76. 75, 77. (• amateur.)

I Badminton.—England beat West Germany, 7-n!l. in a badminton (match at Bebington, near Liverpool.

John Greengrass, the Canterbury Rugby league prop, who might well have experienced the most eventful final few minutes of an international career. It will be some time before he makes a definite decision on his representative future, but Greengrass said yesterday that he might “be a bit long in the tooth” by the time that (he next World Cun tournament is held in Australia and New Zealand in 1977. Greengrass, aeed 28. returned to Christchurch from the European section of the international championship series yesterday, still bearing some minor scars from his encounter with the Welsh forward, Jim Mills, in Swansea this month.

The Kiwis were trailing by six points when Greengrass bulldozed his way through the Welsh pack to score a try—his sixth for New Zealand—shortly before full-time. As he began to rise from the ground, Mills stomped on Greengrass’s head, inflicting three cuts which required 15 stitches. The French referee, Mr Guy Jameau, sent Mills off, but this was little consolation for the Kiwis, who were beaten, 25-24, in a match that they felt should have been won. With the loss, New Zealand slipped to fourth position, on scoring percentages, in the honie-and-away championship. Greengrass said that there had been no personal feud between him and Mills during the match, and there had been no prior incident between them.