Top golfer attacked by mower

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34106, 19 March 1976, Page 24

Top golfer attacked by mower

(By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Dennis Beggs, the Rangiora No. 1 for the Woodward Cup series and a member of last year’s Canterbury Preyberg golf team, had a narrow escape from! serious injury last Thursday. Beggs, head greenkeeper at Rangiora. was adjusting the hydraulics on the gangi mower when his spanner ! slipped and his hand was i dragged under the reel. “It was lucky the palm went under the reel and the back of the hand under the bar. Had the back of the hand gone under the reel, the injurylwould have been a lot more serious,” Beggs [Said yesterday. ) As it was. the hand reIceived a heavy pounding and

two fingers were severely! bruised. The wound under one fingernail has continued! to seep and Beggs expects to! lose the nail. “I couldn't swing fully for 10 minutes the following! [day and was restricted [mainly to chipping,” the| I popular Canterbury repreIsentative said. Bui Beggs does nut expect to be too inconvenienced and is in the strong field which has entered the Russley club’s open 72-hole tournament at the week-end. The tournament, as usual, |has attracted a quality field [and it will be the last I 'chance for prospective Frey-! berg candidates to enforce! their claims before the provincial selectors. The two selectors (Messrs M. J. McNally and R. C. Townshend) intend to announce the team early next

week. If places are still in doubt after the week-end. they have been empowered to consult the Canterburycaptain, Bruce Taylor.

Beggs, who made a grand showing in his debut for Canterbury at the Frey berg tournament last year when he won four and halved another match, played magnificently on Russley last December when he finished equal tenth in the Garden City Classic and was [easily the best amateur. ' The Russley course has provided Beggs with some of his best rounds, although he has yet to win the open. Last year he finished in a three-way tie with Paul Hartstone, the province’s No. 1 at the time, and James Angus. A play-ooff was needed. Hartstone did not delay the issue. He birdied the first, extra hole to win the championship. I Angus, too, on his home I course, must be strongly

considered. He strikes the ball long distances for one of such slight build and plays the pitch shot immaculately. Two established members of the Frey berg team, Taylor and Geoff Saunders, will be looking for consistency, with the national event imminent, and the remarkable Ross Murray, already nine times winner of the open, will be travelling from Timaru to make his presence felt With leading amateurs such as the Russley club champion, Gary Urlwin, the Coringa No. 1, Colin Hoole, Waitakiri’s top player, Murray Brown. Barry Alexander. John Williamson, John Allin, Michael Pitman. Mike Small, John Boys and Wayne) Tucker, a score of under 300 will probably be needed to secure the important title.