Newcomer wins snooker

Press, 6 September 1976, Page 15

Newcomer wins snooker

PA Auckland Grant Hayward (Auckland), a 27-year-61d newcomer to tournament snooker, won the Pall Mall $lOOO snooker tournament in Auckland when he defeated Selwyn Rota (Wellington) by three frames to none in the final before a packed house at the Hotel Intercontinental. Hayward, who was runnerup in the Auckland B grade event this and last year, was a surprise choice in the select eight-man field, but he played splendidly in defeating Paddy Mischefski (Taranaki) in a tight five-frame semi-final yesterday afternoon and then went on to beat Rota in straight frames at the expense of Kel Tristram (Auckland), who had earlier been put into the last four on a count-back of frames, but was subsequently eliminated when the rules showed that the average points a frame should have been used to decide his tie with Rota. Hayward won the first two frames in the final, 83-42 and 83-45. The third frame was close and tense and Hayward was holding grimly on to a 51-46 lead when he cleared the green, brown and blue, and left Rota without a chance and won. 69-46. His first prize was $5OO.