Auckland pair wins golf

Press, 19 October 1976, Page 40

Auckland pair wins golf

PA New Plymouth The New Zealand junior representative, Rick Barker (Helensyille), and his Muriwai partner. Phil Reid, playing together for the first time, won the New Zealand amateur golf foursomes championship at the New Plymouth Golf Club’s beautiful Ngamotu links y esterday.

Barker (21), one of New Zealand’s most promising golfers, and Reid, having one of his best seasons, finished with a 36-hole total of 142, two under par, to win the title by one stroke.

Despite a dav of intermittent drizzle, Barker and Reid hit it off well together to score a two-under par 70 in the first round and held on in the second round with a par 72. The runners-up were Peter Creighton (Grange), a former New Zealand representative, and Rex Godso (Pukekche), who scored 143 after rounds of 72 and 71. Godso, who won his club championship last week-end, shared the national foursomes title two years ago at Manakau, when partnered by Pat Gamer, they tied with Peter Burney and R. J. Carr. Another stroke behind, on 144, were the Grange pair of Pat Carrigan and Terry Pulmen. They shared the first round lead” with 70 but slipped to 74 in the second round. It was close, even competition between the leading

pairs. The course was in immaculate condition and the greens, although wet, were true.

Heavy rain during the early part of the afternoon caused some problems for the golfers but once it eased die day remained reasonably warm. Barker, tall at 6ft tin, is a sweet, strong hitter, and has an impressive background in the game already. He was third with the New Zealand representative, Alex Bennington, in last year’s foursomes at Nelson and he was the top qualifier for the match play as well last year, but was eliminated in the first round.

He was also the top amateur in the New Zealand open at St Andrew’s Hamilton, last year.

Only two pairs from the South Island contested the foursomes competition, and both finished with a total of 156, about halfway down the field.

The Harewood pair of N. Horgan and Steven Street shot rounds of 77 and 79 while R. Donaldson (Greymouth) and R Hazeldine (Hokitika) shot 80, 76.