Brask leads

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34021, 10 December 1975, Page 14

Brask leads

Bill Brask, the quiet American, has found the New Zealand golf circuit a prosperous venture after four of the six events on the summer programme. The 28-y ear-old San Diego professional, after collecting $lO,OOO in four tournaments in Australia, wasted no time in making his mark in New Zealand. He won the richest purse on the national circuit — $7OOO in the New Zealand Airlines Classic — and added a further $2375 with his equal second placing in the New Zealand Open. Brask has netted nearly $11,500 which is almost twice the amount won by the second place-getter, his countryman, Hal Underwood. The moustachioed Underwood has picked up a cheque in each of the four tournaments, but his win in the Otago Charity Classic — worth $4650 — was easily his most lucrative return.

John Lister, the New Zealand professional, who topped the money earners last season, moved within $l9 of Underwood after his splendid victory in the Christchurch Garden City Classic.

Leading money earners (with the Southland Classic and New Zealand P.G.A. titles still to be decided) are:Bill Brask (United States), $11,494; Hal Underwood (United States), $5951; John Lister (New Zealand), $5932; Billy Dunk (Australia), $4469; Peter Thomson (Australia), $4200; Bob Clark (United States), $3720; Brian Jones (Australia), $3419; Torn Kite (United States), $3150; Bob Gilder (United States), $3051; Noel Ratcliffe (Australia), $2943; Stewart Ginn (Australia), $2535; Kel Nagle (Australia), $2529.