Stroke title to Boag

Press, 17 March 1977, Page 40

Stroke title to Boag

Fluctuating fortunes — calamitous for Sue Bishop and more than encouraging for her rival, Sue Boag — at the fourth hole of the Waitikiri golf course yesterday had a major bearing on the outcome of the Canterbury women’s 54-hole stroke championship. Mrs Bishop, the overnight leader by three shots, had already lost some ground with a one-over at the third, and Miss Boag applied further pressure by gaining a birdie on the 361 m par-5 fourth.

A wayward second shot, which went out of bounds, more than placed Mrs Bishop’s fast-diminishing advantage in peril, and she surrendered the role of tournament front-runner when she could do no better than a seven.

After six holes, Miss Boag was still one-under, and al-

though she exceeded regulation figures at 7,9, 11, 15 and 17, the position was somewhat rectified by birdies at 12 and 14. At the same time, Mrs Bishop was having further trouble with her play from the tees. There was only the minor compensation of a birdie at the long par-5 thirteenth, as against oneovers at 6,8, 16, and 17 and another seven at the 430 m par-5 eleventh. Miss Boag’s total of 77 was the most impressive of the day, and left her with an aggregate of 237 after the three rounds. Her winning margin was three strokes from Mrs Bishop, whose 83 followed scores of 80 and 77 on Tuesday. A determined effort by Vai Cullen to wipe out the damage of her second-round 86 and at least claim third position only just failed. Mrs Cullen was even with par on the outward half be-

fore dropping three shots for a 78, leaving her one behind Judith Parkes, whose round of 80 included two birdies and seven one-overs. Lorraine McClurg, who ■ had shared third with Mrs Parkes at the end of 36 : holes, slipped back two places as the result of an 82. I Sam Lamberton dropped to eighth equal with an uneven I round: she was only one i over at the turn, 1 conceded six strokes between 13 and ’ 17, and then birdied the ■ eighteenth. I T J- , Leading scorers were: ' 237: Miss B. S. Boag, 79, 81, 77. ; 240: Mrs V. A. Bishop, 80, 77, ’ 242: Mrs J. R. Parkes, 85, 77, 1 80. 243: Mrs N. D. Cullen, 79, 86, , 78. 244: Miss L. McClurg, 84, 78, 82. ! 246: Miss J. M. Kinnaird, 86, 1 80, 80. [ 248: Mrs S. L. Haydon, 83, 86, 79. • 249: Mrs E. Lamberton, 82, 82, 1 85; Miss J. Davidson, 81, 87, 81. Silver B gross: Mrs J. Beck- ■ ingsale, 266; Miss E. Reeston, 274; Mrs E. Walker, 275; Miss M. Berney, 279; Mrs E. J. Johnston, 279; Mrs R. Rhodes, 279.