SOUTHLAND CLASSIC TODAY Previous money-winners have equal chances

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34022, 11 December 1975, Page 32

SOUTHLAND CLASSIC TODAY Previous money-winners have equal chances

i\cie Zealand Press Associations INVERCARGILL. The well-groomed Otatara course remained unconquered by most oi the professional visitors in the City of Invercargill pro-am yesterday, and the hunt for the biggest cut of the SIU.(MIG Southland Charity Golf Classic priz.e money remains wide open as the tournament gets under way today.

In spite «»f playing from short tees and with the course in great shape, it was rather surprising to see only three of the professionals break 70. Rotorua’s Denis Clark took out the major money in the pro-am with a five-under round of 6* but hi-, score was the exception, rather than the rule, as many of the other visitors struggled to meet the c hallenges of the course and the wind, which blew from the west all day While Clark must now be considered a threat, the pretournament favourite- for big money remain those who have split the profit- between them in rhe previous tourna ments on the circuit, such as the Americans. Bill B r a-k and Bob Clark, the New Zealander, John Lister, and the Australian. Kel Nagle. This quartet all scored well lee- lengthened But. with the tees lengthened to championship standards, giving the course a

■ -total length ot >B2n metres, 'and the fairway- narrowed in '• recent week-, the course will > he a keener test of golfing ; skill- today As well, par . for the course will he lessened from 73 to 72. Many of the professionals spoke highly of the course land said I hat it was rhe best course thev had played on during this year's circuit. Judging by the results yesterday. the course record of 66 by the Southland amateur and Frevlrerg captain. Kevin Dxwnie. might withstand the ■onslaught. Deni- Clark was only one stroke dear of the Australian- Roger Davi- and Ray Hore. who each carded round- of (19. A quintet o! Australians, lorn 1 ynsKy Peter Croker. David Galloway. David Good and Noe Ratcliffe, all shot ‘7t>-. while Guv Wolstenholme and Ke Nagle also of Australia, and the American. Jeff Silverstein, carded 725. This gave 11 players breaking par for the course of 73. many of them playing at Otatara for the first time, i Clark was the model of ■-•ncy. He began in

ominous tasmon. navingi birdies at the first and sec-! ond holes and remaining twounde the card until 7. At rhe par five Sih he! dropped a shot, but birdied! ‘.nine to turn two under the! Icard. He birdied 11 and 13, both > relatively easy par fives ; from the front tees, and •then played par figures until [lB. when he gained another • shot from par with a birdie I three. Brask always commanded • interest from his gallery with a fine display of pericentage golf. Siring oi par* He birdied the second, went one over the third and i then had a string of pars to ; still be one over when hei ' went to K. Here he began a great jpatch, having a birdie with aJ seven-foot putt at Long 'Tom and doing likewise at the next hole to turn, one under the card, at 10. Brask hit a superb second iron to within six feet from the flag and again his hot putter did • the rest However, he bunkered at i 12 and 13 and struggled for [pars and birdied 13, par-five 'Eastward Ho, when he was lon in two and two-putted. ■ But. finding himself [against a fence at 14, he I took an extra shot to get iback on to the fairway and then three-putted to put i himself out of rhe reckoning. | Scores: — ! UB—D. Clark <N.Z.) 69—R. navi-- 'Aust.l. R. Dore . (Aust.). . 70—T. Lynsky (Aust.), P. I Croker (Aust.), D. Galloway I (Aust.l, D. Good ( Aust.), N. Radleilffe (Aust.). 71— G. Wolstenholme (Aust.), J Silverstein (U.S.), K. Nagle (Aust.i. 72— G. Parslaw (Aust.), A. Cooper (Aust..), B Watt (N.Z.), J. Lister (N.Z.), B. Brask (U.S.), R. Clark (U.S.). 73— M. Tapper (Aust.), S. (Owen (N.Z.), P. Firmstone ■| (Aust.). S. Slater (Aust.).

74 \i BoJ-eu I .> . J Kin Is- Bidwell <N.Z.>. R I Charles (X.ZA 75 \ SonHMh Au*-:..-. P. Han .Aust ■ G Sethan .AustJ, M Fetoh ' Au-’-i x<*.r - C K U. Hawkin* X Z 77— p" Shadlock (Aust), I. Reid 1X.Z.1, C. Owen (N.Z.). L. Winchester IS.', R. Taylor (Aust J 78— J. Merrick -Aust.). D Crockford /N.Z.'j. 79— A. McJav (X.z.i. F. Copallin (Aust.), R. McDonald (N.Z.). T. Adcock (Aust.), J Downes (Aust.). 80— J. Roche «N.ZJ. 81— p. Mahoney X Z ... G Moller (Aust.). 82— P. Hamblett X Z.). 83— C. P Iggo <N.ZJ,