Vines, Underwood eclipse form men to lead Otago golf

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34012, 28 November 1975, Page 24

Vines, Underwood eclipse form men to lead Otago golf

(.Veic Zealand Press Association* DUNEDIN. Randall Vines, of Australia, and Hal Underwood, of the United States, shot 5-under-par 67s to share the lead after the first round of the $25,000 Otago Charity Golf Classic at the St Clair course, Dunedin, yesterday.

Their eclipse of the form players was a surprise to the big crowd, many of whom went in expectation of another sparkling round from John Lister, who carded a 65 to win the “Evening Star” pro-am on Wednesday.

Lister, however, lapsed into mediocrity and scored 72, and it was Underwood — the bottom-placed professional in the pro-am — who commanded most attention. Only a narrowly-missed putt on the eighteenth after a superb approach shot deprived Underwood of an eagle and a clear lead. Underwood, who is 30, had seven birdies but scored oneover the eleventh and thirteenth holes. It was the 402-metre par--4 eleventh which posed most problems for the players. Underwood, who shares the St Clair course record of 63 with the Australian veteran, Kel Nagle, was elated with his form.

“It was just like a slice of heaven,’’ he said afterwards.

i “My putting was my main 'strength.” Brian Clark and George Archer, of the United States, and Leith Payne, of Australia, all share second equal [place with 68. Archer was particularly pleased with his putting: “It was really my putting that enabled me to score so well.” He birdied the thirteenth with a 48ft putt, and holed another from 30ft.

Eight players were locked on 69, and probably the happiest was Bob Charles, who has been completely out of form this year.

“It was my best round this year — it was really exciting,” he said. The other form player to have a 69 was the American Bill Brask, who Airlines tournament.

Bad luck Paul Firmstone, from the Lakes Club in Sydney, seemed poised to threaten the course record after completing his first nine holes in 31. Firmstone, aged 26, missed the cut-off in the Otago Classic last year, but made his position safe .with brilliant play ddring the first nine

yesterday. He struck birdies on six of the first 10 holes, and only one-overs at the eleventh, fourteenth, and sixteenth prevented him from finishing higher. Nagle played percentage golf for his 69 which comprised 15 parred holes and three birdies.

The worst luck of the day happened to Bruce Fleischer (United States) who had an 83, and is now almost certain to miss the cut-off today.

Fleischer, who finished second equal to Brask in the New Zealand Open and who is the top money-winner on the Australasian circuit this year, incurred a four-stroke penalty for carrying more than the maximum permitted number of clubs.