Auckland pro-am to Grange professional

Press, 9 December 1976, Page 40

Auckland pro-am to Grange professional

PA Auckland It was a case of the local boy making good when the Grange professional, John Croskery, shot a five-under-par round of 66 to lead the field in the City of Auckland pro-am tournament yesterday.

Croskery’s round was simply a matter of local knowledge paying off. He knew where to place his shots. His round, which was made up of six birdies and only one bogey was an indication that as the visiting pros get the feel of th? Grange course in the City of Auckland Classic today, and so long as there is no rain, the Grange par of 71 is in for a hiding.

Heavy rain that fell on the course late last week has quickly dried away. The greens are running fast and as was shown yesterday as the course dries out further there is going to be a lot of mu.

The English professional, Maurice Bembridge, who returned a par 71, was, for example, one player who was hitting the ball well. On several of the par-four holes his tee shots were rolling up just short of the green.

John Lister (New Zealand) showed just how fast the course is playing when his tee shot on the 296 m fourth hole, played with a one iron, easily laid the green. In all, 12 players broke the par score and another eight equalled par. Second place, one stroke behind Croskery-, was shared by the Australians, N. Ratcliffe, D. Good, and K. D. G. Nagle. Never dropping a stroke against the card, Good was out in 32 (three under). There were more birdies on the par

five twelfth and thirteenth holes and the only blemish on a splendid round was a bogey five on the par four 401 metre eighteenth. Nagle also gave notice he will be a hard man to head in the classic, picking up the birdies here and there and dropping only one shot to the card on the 341-metre par-four sixteenth. Lister and Bob Charles showed they, too, are in good form at present when they shared fifth place with the Australian, Paul Croker, and the American, Billy Brask. with two-under-par rounds of 69. In his round Lister shot five birdies. There were, however, the had patches resulting in shots dropped on three holes. For his part Charles was consistent turning one under and picking up another shot on the homeward nine.

Strangely enough, the pro-am teams event was not won by a team where the professional returned u startling score. That the former Maungakiekie pro, Frank Malloy, was not quite at his best with a one-over-par 72 was more than compensated for by his amateur partners, W. Jones, playing from a 13 handicap and S. Frisken, playing from a 15 who between them bagged 11 net birdies, while Malloy chimed in with another couple off the stick. The team net aggregate of 58 was 13 strokes under the card. .

The absence of Simon Owen. who last Sunday won the New Zealand Open, lias left New Zealand to play in the World Cup with Barry Vivian and the great Australian, Peter Thomson, has returned home for the opening of a new course he has designed, has weakened a field already missing some of the big names that have played on the circuit.

However, Brask won the New Zealand Airlines Classic on the Grange last year, Nagle is on the top of his form, as are Charles and Lister.

So long as there is no rain to slow down the course, the tournament should not lack from good hard competitive play. Scores:— 66—J. Croskery (N.Z.).

67—N. Ratcliffe (Aust), D. Good (Aust.), K. D. G. Nagle (Aust).

69—J. Lister (N.Z.), R. J. Charles (N.Z.), P. Croker (Aust.u \V. Brask (U.S.).

70— D. Clark (N.Z.), V. Somers (Aust.), T. KendaU (N.Z.). 71— B. Clark (U.S.), C. Hohen (U.S.), R. Coombes (N.Z.), B. T. Boys (N.Z.), W. Longmulr (U.K.), H. Berwick (Aust), M. Bembridge (U.K.), R. Davis (Aust.). 72— F. Malloy (N.Z.), A. Snape (N.Z.), E. Ball (Aust.) P. Flrmstone (Aust.).

73— T. Woolbank (Aust), F. Conallln (Aust.', McClelland (U.K.). R. Newdick (N.Z.). P. Shadlock (N.Z.), W. J. Godfrey (N.Z.). 74— S. Ginn (Aust).

75— C. Owen (N.Z.), P. Hamblett (N.Z.). P. Murray (Aust.), R. Houghton (N.Z.). 76— J. Gltfford (Aust.), W. McIntosh (N.Z.). 77— G. G. Wolstenholme (Aust.). 78— J. Clelland (N.Z.). T. Leech (N.Z.). 79— A. Palmer (N.Z.).