Golf opponent weakened

Press, 25 February 1977, Page 28

Golf opponent weakened

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Canterbury normally has no difficulty in overwhelming Mid-South Canterbury in their annual golf match at Ashburton and that should be the case again when the two teams of 16 oppose each other on Sunday. For Canterbury’s two top golfers, Bruce Taylor and Geoff Saunders, there will be a tinge of regret, possibly relief, that Ross Murray—one of New Zealand’s finest amateurs for the last two decades —has not yet recovered from his Achilles tendons operations and has had to withdraw’.

Murray, the 1972 national amateur champion, has been the indisputable No. 1 for the combined team over many years. Last year, he accounted for Murray Brown and halved with Taylor; his absence will be sorelj’ felt by Mid-South Canterbury.

The youthful Robbie Bell has the unenviable task of assuming Murray’s top role. He had two wins and two halves from seven matches at No. 3 in his Freyberg debut last year, but will find Taylor and Saunders — both nearing their peak — difficult rivals.

Brian Maw, who impressed with three good rounds in the Canterbury stroke championship earlier this month, has had rapid promotion to No. 2. He will be following in the footsteps of his older brothers, Wayne and -Gary, who both represented MidSouth Canterbury before shifting to Christchurch. Charlie Alexander, the Mid- i ■ South Canterbury Freyberg 1

No. 2 last year, is at three, and Randall Feutz has held his place in the top four. The combined team has two members of last year’s Freyberg team, Graeme Brown and Eric Maguigan, at six and 10, and with Bill Romerill, and Kevin Frazier — the only player to win both matches against Canterbury last year — the host team w’ill not be lacking in experience. However, the Canterbury selectors have selected their strongest side and have placed the four Freyberg representatives—Taylor, Saunders, Dennis Beggs and Simon Robinson — in the same order as they played last year.

James Angus, who played at nine last year, is promoted to fifth, and a strong showing from the 25-year-old Russley golfer would boost his chances of Freyberg selection this year immeasurably.

His form in recent weeks cannot be faulted. After his easy success in the provincial stroke play, Angus set a course record of 66 at Harewood last Sunday when he headed the Harewood proam tournament.

The New Zealand junior, Stephen Street, is at six and John Allin, the Rangiora No. 1, who defeated Saunders in the opening round of the Woodward Cup, is at seven. Brown, w’ho played competently at second last year, is as low as No. 10, and Neville Griffiths (Russley) and Fred Poskitt (Waimairi Beach) have forced their way into the team through their sound performances in recent tournaments and inter-club com--1 petitions.