Irwin leads golf

Press, 10 November 1978, Page 4

Irwin leads golf

I NZPA Melbourne I The American golf star, HaJel Irwin, systematically took apart the imposing Royal Melbourne [ [course yesterday with a record: shattering 64 to lead after the I ; first round of the SAustIUO.OOO [ P.G.A. championship. Sharing second place are the 1 i Florida-based Nev. Zealander, I • John Lister, and the Australian! ; international, Jack Newton, of Sydney, who both shot three-; j under-par 68s ■ Irwin’s sizzling, seven-under-[ par score gave him a gaping' four-shot break on the field. The bespectacled 31-year-oldi former United States Open champion, who said on Wedues- [ day he did not plan to finish | second, demonstrated yesterday how he proposed to fulfill that statement. He was out in 32. borne in 32. ins round marred just once with a bogey five at the par four fourth. Irwin’s 64 broke the course iecord, previously held bj the .. Vic.toiian. Bob Shearer, and the American legend Sam Snead, by I one shot. ’j One shot behind the second J place getters were a dramatie-ally-improved Seve Ballesieios. | of Spain. Barry Burgess and .Noel Ratcliffe, both of New • South Wales. •| John Lister admitted he was i luckv. but Newton, in fact, shot , a flawless round—three neat i birdies and the remainder pars i “1 played solidlx and was I never in any trouble.” said Newton who must be wondering

| what he has to do to win t ; tournament. j Lister, by comparison, ha ! lady luck with him ail dax. B his own admission, he hooke and sliced everything but sti struggled into second spot. ■ Leading scores:— i 64—H. Irwin (U.S. . 68 —J. Lister N.Z.i, J. Newto hN.S.W.i, i 69—S. Ballesteros Spain . > Ratcliffe (N.S.W.i, B. Burge iN.S.W • 1 70—J. Clifford (W.A.). I Kendall (N.Z.n A. Russell <L T .S P. Dawson (U.K.), K. Robert j (Canada., R. Davis (N.S.W . ( i Logan (U.K.). 71—M. Bohen (U.S.), B. Bvma (U.S.). B Devlin (N.S.W.t. l< 'Garner (Vic.), 1). (rood (Tas.t, v Krantz (U.S.), J. Roberts (U.S. L. Roberts 'U.S, . J Simon (U.S.i. J. Whilehead 'U.K.., Faldo (U.K.), G Mar k .h \\ A P. Pearce (N.S.W . ' Milk • (U.S i. w. Godfrey N.Z Cycling.—Th<* Belgian exciis •Szar Patrick Sercu and his Wei German partner. G ecor Brain have won the Munich six-da cycle race three laps ahead < /the Dutch-Australian team < Gerrie Knetemann and Dann Clark. Yachting.—A v.c d • 1 a-r.ifi 1 ship regatta lor 12m h- .•> b t be staged in September ri ’ ’-.’ear off Brighton in - nthr England. The on'v < urr • [international competition <i 12m trail is the Amelias Cu|