Colour, class and characters bejewelled N.Z. golf open

Press, 29 October 1977, Page 24

Colour, class and characters bejewelled N.Z. golf open

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

New Zealand golf has known no more colounul spectacle, no finer a finish. than those provided bv the New Zealand Air-

hnes-Shell Open at Titirangi last week. If the scoring, finally, was considerably below expectations, the winning total was in fact 10 under rhe normal Titirangi card and the late lapses by leaders contributed to the dramatic events of the last afternoon.

The very fact that the top players faltered could be seen as a rebuke of the timing of the tournament, for it comes at the end of the main overseas circuits. That is inevitable. But there is a prospect that next yea the American circuit may end at the beginning of October and ideally the players for the Airlines Shell event should have a little time in New Zealand, to rest and then to practise, before it begins — almost certainly at Titirangi again. It was quite clear last week-end that some of the most accomplished players m the field, notably Graham Marsh and Al Geiberger, had had too much travel and too much golf. They tried desperately hard, but the physical and mental demands they’ had met for months undoubtedly caught up with them. Perhaps next year the tournament at Titirangi could be put back two or three weeks. Then the outstanding players who will be there could be at their best.

It was not only fatigue which told, however. Titirangi, for all its modest length of 5683 metres, is as demanding as it is en-

chanting. Access to the pin is seldom easy; nearly every putt requires a fine judgment of line as well as length and pace. On the lasi day. the change to quite strong southerly winds had a particular effect on the early holes and on to the third, the tenth and the twelfth — especially the twelfth, which measures 415 metres (par 4) and is set in a valley which provided peculiar wind effects. But this biggest of all New Zealand tournaments, with its prize money of 575.000, was almost certainly its best. Much thought and work had been put into the project, and the system of crowd control, as an instance, worked very well. Slow play, which had been a problem in the first two rounds, was vastly improved on the last day. In these areas, the advice of the top American, Al Geiberger, and the great Australian player, Peter Thomson, was of much benefit. Another who was most helpful to the organisation was Jim Moran, secretary-manager of the Australian P.G.A. Check points were established to guard against the slow play, at the seventh and eleventh greens. “The players were aware of the two-stroke penalty which can be imposed for slow play” said Mr Lawrie Blair, one of the two tournament coordinators. “One group was reckoned to be 28 minutes late. It was warned, and made up 16 minutes of the time.” The airlines were for-

tunate to have the facilities to visit American tournaments and talk to the players and officials there, said Mr Blair. “In the last three years there has been a very good liaison with the players and their managers,” he said. “It is inevitable, when getting top players to come to New Zealand, that quite lengthy negotiations take place with managers because of players’ conflicting commitments. This yea. I think George Archer and Tom Kite would have been at Auckland, had it not been for the Southern Open in which they were committed to play.” The organisation of the tournament was a spectacular success, even at its ending, when scores of golfers were despatched to various parts of the world for their next assignments. It is a strange world in which the professional players live. Baggage at the clubhouse bore labels suggesting tournaments are played in just about every, major city in the world. The tournament attracted attention from Australia, represented by three top golf journalists, and from America, with the arrival of the C.B.S, news commentator, Ted Dawson. The golf was his main assignment, but his team made what can best be described as publicity film for New Zealand in other places. It will have an audience of 80 million. What a parade of personalities there was at Titirangi. There was Gra-

ham Marsh, as grim and determined in appearance as Gary Player — but a very fine sportsman, as he quietly demonstrated a dozen times. He tired and failed, but he was the best golfer at Titirangi. Geiberger, so leisurely of swing, gave his galleries much pleasure, but he lost touch with his short approaches near the end.

There was Greg Hohnen, an Australian who must have had particular appeal to everyone in the crowd with reasonably developed maternal instincts. He is only 20, and bears the innocent expression of vouth. How long that will last is debatable. But for all his rather too fast, rather too flat swing, he fought it out with the best until one dreadful lapse in the last round.

Bob Byman, only 22, came forward fast at the end: a great success in Europe although only just in his second year as a professional. Byman has crowd appeal — the college boy took helps.

Although he could not get to the top in the early rounds, Ernesto Acosta drew the crowds. He is a strong and resourceful player. But Titirangi got the better of him at the end. He failed dismally on the final afternoon, so dismally that at the fifteenth he broke his putter across bis knee and tossed the pieces into the undergrowth. There were many other fascinating personalities. Baldovino Dassu, only 24, slim and handsome, was an engaging young man, who unhappily could not reproduce his European

form. He was a tired golfer. There was Harry Berwick, still getting the ball out with the best, although he won the New Zealand amateur as long ago as 1952, the New Zealand Open four years later.

The delightful Veramu Rokotavaga (Fiji) had a white tee embedded in his thick crop of hair; it looked like a petal from some exotic island flower. Some years ago. he was caddy for Tom Stout — formerly of Southland and Canterbury — when Stout won the Fiji Open. Stout was in the gallery, having just completed a notable triple. In Invercargill and Christchurch, he had gone through inter-club competitions with victory in every match. Now he has done the same in Auckland. There were so many' others of skill and colour. Greg Norman was probably the biggest hitter there, in impressive company. But he had more than length and strength to commend him. This other Nicklaus in appearance will win his share of tournaments.

Titirangi was a reminder of the audience appeal of New Zealand golf. It was a great company, on a superb stage. When the great shots are recalled, and the tight finish, so too will those delightful little bridged walks over the creek, through lush green native bush. Recognition of the tournament has been given by Australia, with its inclusion in P.G.A. order of merit rankings and by the play» ers and spectators there, for its class and its conduct.