GOLF SCENE

Press, 13 July 1976, Page 25

GOLF SCENE

McDougall lines up for seventh world golf contest

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Ted McDougall first, Alex Bonnington second. That was the story of the inaugural Peter Stuyvesant tournament at Russley last year and also of the North Island championships at Tokorua last month. Both tournaments, especially the Peter Stuyvesant event, attracted the best amateur golfers in the country, and it was a wonderful achievement for McDougall and Bonnington to take the first two placings on both occasions. Their efforts brought the deserved rewards. Earlier this month they were named in the New Zealand Eisenhower team to compete in the world amateur teams’ championship in Portugal from October 13 to 16. It will be Bennington’s first appearance for New Zealand, although he was the reserve for the sixman team which competed for the R. and A. Trophy in South Africa last year. McDougall is a veteran international campaigner. He played in the first Eisenhower tournament at St Andrews in 1958 alongside Bob Charles, John Durry and Stuart Jones,

Of the nine previous world amateur teams’ championships, the burly Waikato stalwart has played in six, and he has represented New Zealand on three other occasions.

Joining McDougall and Bonnington in their assault on the spectacular Algarve coast resort course will be another seasoned national representative, Geoff Clarke, and Peter Burney, who has finally won a silver fern after being a reserve in 1971.

Although Burney’s selection will be welcomed in Auckland — where he has given dedicated service to his province’s Freyberg Rose Bowl team for many years — he was possibly a surprise choice ahead of the present national champion, Stuart Reese, and the 1573 champion, Mike Nicholson, who has been named as the nontravelling reserve. The Algarve course is reputed to suit the big hitters and Reese is one of the most powerful strikers of die ball in the country. Burney’s forte is his precision from 150 m out and his sound putting. Reese might have con-

tributed towards his own omission. The young Waikato player, who plaved second for his province at this year’s Freyberg tournament in Timaru and lost only to Geoff Saunders (Canterbury), is reported to be considering turning professional soon.

This factor might have influenced the selectors (Messrs J. G. Slade. G. M. Wardell and J. B. Forrest) in their final deliberations.

Although South Island provinces finished first (Canterbury), second (Otago) and fourth (Southland) — Auckland was third — in the 1976 Freyberg tournament, Clarke is the only southern representative in the team.

Bruce Taylor, the Canterbury No. 1, has been overlooked again. Taylor beat McDougall and Rodney Barltrop (Wellington) — New Zealand’s two representatives in an international 72-hole stroke tournament in Colombia last August — and halved with Clarke, events. Taylor had an extremely difficult assignment. His losses were to Bonnington, Ross Murray (Mid-South Canterbury), Burney and Nicholson, but only against Murray was he decisively beaten. A little more success with short putts would have given the Canterbury captain another three wins. Saunders played with great confidence and maturity in winning five and halving one of his seven matches at No. 2. His record was matched by Dennis Beggs, at three, and Simon Robinson, who was making his debut at four. Saunders, aged 22, and Robinson, aged 21, have age on their side and must be seriously considered for national selection if they can sustain their form at future interprovincial and national

The veteran Ross Murray, who had played in every New Zealand team from 1961 to 1974, was dropped from the team that visited South Africa last year. He is still a great golfer and won five matches at the Freyberg tournament at No. 1, but it seems that his international career is finished. Nicholson, the stocky Bay of Plenty No. 1, could also consider himself unlucky to miss the team. He won his first five matches at the Freyberg tournament and against strong opposition — Burney, McDougall, Murray, Barltrop and Taylor. He failed on the final day, however, losing to Fin Hobbs (Buller Combined) and Bonnington. Nicholson did not help his prospects when he finished equal twentieth in the North Island 72-hole stroke championship last month. He was 21 shots behind McDougall’s winning score of 278. Another leading candidate who dashed his chances in the North Island event was the aggressive Hawke’s Bay No. 1, Paul Hartstone. Hartstone was on the fringe of national selection when he played for Canterbury last year. He had a fine tournament for Canterbury in the top position at the 1975 Freyberg event and that year he also won the South Island match-play title. In 1974, Hartstone was unbeaten for Canterbury at the Freyberg tournament.

The 27-year-old Hartstone was considered a certainty for the South Africa trip last year, but he withdrew when it interfered with his university examinations. At Timaru, Hartstone had several brilliant rounds. He won his first three matches against Clarke, Barltrop and Bon-

mngton, and it was no disgrace to be beaten by Murray in a world-class exhibition in which both players finished well under par. But his form slipped on the final days and he lost his last four games. Hart-

stone was seen at his best in the third round of the North Island championship when he shot 68 — a score bettered only by McDougall — but his other scores, 79, 73, 75, dropped him to equal fifteenth.

The New Zealand team should acquit itself well. McDougall, the national champion in 1957 and 1970, and Clarke, the present South Island titleholder, are both experienced Eisenhower players who will not be overawed by the competition.

If the powerful Northland No. 1, Bonnington, aged 22 is able to control his tee shots, and if Burney is able to achieve enough distance from the tees to attack the green, a high placing for the New Zealand side is on the cards.