Bulk of N.Z. golf money goes overseas again

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34046, 9 January 1976, Page 16

Bulk of N.Z. golf money goes overseas again

As usual, the national golf circuit, which finished last Sunday with the New Zealand P.G.A. tournament at Tauranga, proved an overseas benefit, with only three New Zealanders—John Lister, Simon Owen and Bob Charles — featuring among the top 20 prize earners. Most of the money departed to Australia and the United States, the biggest earner being the consistent. American. Bill Brask. who won a record $15,894 in six major tournaments. Brask. who turned 29 just before Christmas, was prominent in every event. He started successfully with $7OOO for first in the richest tournament the New Zea-

land Airline Classic — finished equal second in the New Zealand Open, sixth in the Otago Charity Classic, third in the Garden City Classic. and won the Southland Classic before losing a playoff in the P.G.A. Before coming to New Zealand. Brask won almost $lO,OOO in four tournaments in Australia. His worst per-

formance in the two countries was sixth. Lister, who ended the circuit strongly with wins at Christchurch and Tauranga, had the rewarding return of $10,552.86. But Charles had only meagre earnings of $2003. with his highest placing a fourth in the Otago Classic. Hal Underwood (United States), thanks to his win at Dunedin, and the 24-year-old Australian, Brian Jones, who invariably performs well in New Zealand, were the only other professionals to collect more than $5OOO. Those golfers to have earned more than $lOOO (excluding money won in proams) were:— B. Brask (U.S.), $15,894.20, 1; J. M. Lister (N.Z.), $10,552.86. 2; H. Underwood (U.S.). $5951.50. 3; B. Jones (Aus.). $5532.41, 4; E. W. Dunk (Aus.), $4479.73, 5; P.

W. Thomson (Aus.), $4200, 6; B. Clark (U.S.), $4094.13, 7; N. Ratcliffe (Aus.), $3843.66, 8; S. Ginn (Aus.), $3601, 9; D. Good (Aus.), $3308. 10; T. Kite (U.S.). $3150, 11; K. D. G Nagle (Aus.), $2928.53, 12; B. Fleisher (U.S.), $2375, 13; B. Gilder (U.S.), $2551.14, 14; R. Funseth (U.S.), $2144, 15; S. M. Owen (N.Z.), $2023.30, 16; R. J. Charles (N.Z.), $2003.50, 17; G. Archer (U.S.), $1924.86, 18; F. Phillips (Aus.). $1915.83, 19; J. Newton jun. (Aus.), $1867.40, 20; G. B. Wolstenholme (Aus.), $1858.55, 21; P. N. Croker (Aus.), $1698.56, 22; P. Firmstone (Aus.), $1676.25, 23; G. Parslow (Aus.), $1648.75, 24; A. Cooper (Aus.), $1600.89, 25; R. Davis (Aus.), $1283.07, 26; R. C. Vines (Aus.), $1251.88 27; B. Jaeckel (U.S.), $1227.91, 28; R. Taylor (Aus.). $1199.36, 29; M. Bembridge (U.K.). $1094, 30; B. Vivian (N.Z.), $1048.80, 31.