Geiberger leads golf field

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 52

Geiberger leads golf field

Al Geiberger, one of only 13 men to have topped SIM :in earnings on the United States professional golf tour, will be one of the major drawcards for the $75,000 New Zealand Airlines-Shell Open at Titirangi in October.

The American is one of many "name” golfers from eight different countries who will make up the finest field ever assembled for a New [Zealand tournament.

In addition to Geiberger, players who have confirmed their entries include the 1959 P.G.A. champion, Bob Rosburg (United States); the present Italian champion, Baldovino Dassu; the 1976 World Cup winner, Ernesto

Perez Acosta, of Mexico; a British World Cup and Ryder Cup representative, Martin Foster; and Graham Marsh, an Australian whose earnings this year already total $250,000. Bob Byman, an American, who has won this year’s Scandinavian and Dutch Opens, is an expected starter. He has indicated that he will play in the Otago classic and the New Zealand Open. Another player from the United States who will be at Titirangi is Mike Morley, the winner of the 1977 Quad Cities Open. He played at Russley last year in the New Zealand Airlines classic and is keen to return to New Zealand again.

The two co-ordinators of the Open (Messrs Paul Gleeson and Laurie Blair) attended the fifty-ninth United States P.G.A. championship at Pebble Beach this month. They hold strong hopes that Lou Graham, the 1975 United States Open champion, and J. C, Snead, a nephew of Sam Snead, will be playing. However, chief interest is bound to be centred on Geiberger. He is reputed to be a colourful golfer and hit the headlines on June 10 this year when he became the first professional to break 60 for a round on the United States tour. He fired a 13-under-par round of 59 in winning the Danny Thomas tournament

in Memphis. Geiberger has won 11 major tournaments, including the 1966 P.G.A. tournament, and he was a member of the United States Ryder Cup team in 1967, 1975 and 1977. Prominent names among the Australian contingent include last year’s winner of the Airlines classic. Bob Shearer. Also from Australia are Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Greg Norman and Stewart Ginn.

Heading the New Zealand stalwarts are Bob Charles and John Lister, and the emerging trio of Simon Owen, Terry Kendall and Barry Vivian. Owen won last year’s New Zealand Open by seven strokes.

First ■rize for the tournament, sponsored by Air New Zealand, New Zealand National Airways and Shell, is $15,000.