Johnston shoots 66 in N.Z. golf

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 30

Johnston shoots 66 in N.Z. golf

PA Wellington! i The St Clair golfer, Ron-| nie Johnston, took his fourth' course record in the second qualifying round of the New Zealand amateur golf championships at Paraparaumu Beach yesterday. The 24-year-old Dunedin salesman scorched round the 1 course in a five-under-par 66 for a two-round total of 140. But in spite of his flawless round. Johnston was only the 1 second leading qualifier. He lost that honour to his:' team-mate and tournament! favourite, Geoff Clarke, the New Zealand international! who fired rounds of 71 and! 68 for a total of 139 —threeb under par. Johnston used to caddy for Clarke as a youngster and the international also helped : teach him the game. He won! the plate event at last year’s I * amateur at Bridge Pa. Johnston putted magnifi-j centiy, though he did lip out: with birdie attempts at the i twelfth from 5m and the six- ' teenth from 2m. And although he was still a little unhappy with his driving, he | never really looked like dropping shots. : He birdied the third from | 2m. had a birdie three at the | par-four sixth, and knocked , in a 3m putt to pick up a . further shot against the card at the par-five seventh. That took him through the turn in ( 32—three under. It was solid stuff on the ' back nine. Johnston hit a 1 four iron 2m away at thej. par-four eleventh, made the ' birdie putt and then slotted ' an 8m putt on the par-five eighteenth for yet another birdie. Johnston said it was probably one of the best rounds ! he had played. “I can’t re- 1 ! member ever playing a round I without dropping a shot,” he ■’ said. Clarke played really well in his front nine yesterday 1 to reach the turn in 32 — ! with birdies at the second, third and sixth holes. But he ' hit a few loose shots on the 1 back nine and only some superb recovery play kept 1 > him under the card. 1 “It wasn’t as well as I, > could have played,” the 32-11 i year-old Dunedin school-!' t teacher admitted. “But I’m!i getting better with each'' i round."

: He was equal top qualifier : with Kim McDonald last | year, before being knocked out in the semi-finals. The third top qualifier was the Paraparaumu Beach player, Tony Proctor. Back playing regular golf after a j lengthy lay-off. Proctor seldom missed the fairways with rounds of 72 and 71. The defending champion, Frank Nobilo (Titirangi) dropped two shots on the way home for a 73 to go (with his first round 68. i The surprise today was; the shock omission of the 1973 champion, Mike NicholIson (Tauranga) from the 64 'qualifiers to start match I play today. Nicholson had ! putting problems and his! two-round total of 158 was a 'shot outside the cut-off. ! It was a bad day for the (Canterbury champion, Geoff Saunders, when he failed to (qualify for the matchplay, (reported “The Press” special (correspondent. After scoring (78 on his first round, he needed to match that effort to qualify. Unfortunately it proved to be beyond him. The par-4 third hole was Saunders’ downfall. After being in the greenside bunker for two, he took a further four shots to get out and two-putted for an eight. Saunders never had his usual touch on and around the greens and his 82 in-! eluded four three-putt ( greens. Des Turner also had! bunker trouble but it did not! stop him from qualifying. At I the par-4 eight, he also had four bunker shots but a 3m ; putt got him down in seven. His second round of 75 enabled him to qualify ilyNick Horgan continued his good form to score 75 and (birdies on the par-3 (fourteenth and sixteenth helped him to his good score. John Smale, Bruce Taylor and Stephen Street also qualified easily. In the first round of the (match-play today, Street has I the hardest game against (Rodney Baltrop. Turner (plays Stuart Bittie; Horgan (will meet the local player, (John Williams; and Taylor I will play Smale. 1 The 64 qualifiers were:

■ 139—G. E. Clarke St Clair) 71 , 68. . 140—R. J. Johnston (St Clan ‘74. 66. 141 —F. Nobilo (Titirangai 68 • 73. ( 143 —A. Proctor (Paraparaumu. k 144 —K. McDonald <St Clairt 67 146—J. D. Duir\ (Paraparaumu *, M. Webber (Parapara umui 74. 72. 151- A. C. Cand\ (Hutt). T. R. .Pulman (The Grange). K. A i Roberb 74. 77; 1. A. Peter? » (Springfield. D. A. J. Render Walsh (Shandon) 73. 78; P, Mosle\ 1 (North Shorei 79, 72; N. J. Hur gan (Harewood* 76. 75. • 147 -R. M. Barltrop (Miramai > 74. 73; D. Prosser (Shandon) 75 72; N. Gaskin (Levin) 76. 71. 148— S. Barron (Paraparaumu >7B. 70; N. 11. Johnson (Tauranga 1|75, 73; D. N Turner (Christ [ church) 73. 75. 149— M. Barltrop (ManakaiH 73 ’ [76; J. G. Gatley (Loehieb 77. 72 1 T. Scott (Takapau) 78. 71: A. J Cawley (Stratford) 76. 73; J. H » Lapsley <Winton) 74. 75; B. C • Tavlor (Russley) 75. 74. 150— T Hogg (Hutt). S ‘ Creighton (Paraparaumu) 77. 73 . T. Cochrane (Waitemata) 78. 72 I 152—Paickin (Whitford Park’ r 78. 74: M. Bartlett (Paraparaumu ’ J. Finn (St Claii * 75. 77; B Hall (Remuerai 74. 78; R. Ng (Miramar) 79. 73: R Rookes (Foxton! 77. 75; M. W. Small (Manoi Park) 76, 76; R. K. Creighton , (Th? Grange) 80. 72. ’ 153—M. T Davidson (Miramar’ ’ 73. 80; K. R. Downic (Invercan ! gill) 75. 78: J. N. McKenzie (Hast- ■ ings) 80. 73: S. W. Street (Harewood) 79. 74; S. A. Tran san) (Napier) 75, 78: S Bittie (Hamiltom 78. 75: R. Olivecrona (Hutt), B. A Soulsbv (Invercargill) 77, 76. 154—J. Fcrregel (The Grange) 81. 73: P. K. Keenan (Levin) 79 [75; M. McDonald (Manor Park |77, 77: J. Smale (Coringa Country) 76. 78; A. Smith (Lochiel! 77, 77. ■ 155—8. Barron. G. E. Reid 1 1Paraparaumu). P. Dench (Palmerston North) 80. 75; J R. Billington (Miramar) 78. 77; C. H. Lacy (Paraparaumu). R. 11. Bradley (Miramar) 76, 79; G. D. White (Wellington* 75, 80; T. Treen (Titirangi) 81. 74. 156— C. Treen (Peninsula) 81 75; J. B. Williams <Paraparaumu) 80. 76; K. V. Hayden (Paraparaumu) 79, 77. 157— G. R. Kirk (Carterton* 79. 78; F. T. Hobbs (Westport) 74. 83; G. Ritchie (Muriwe ) 77. 80. Other Canterbury scores: 158— C. B. Patterson (Coringa Country) 81, 77. 160 — B. G. Patterson (Coringa Country) 79. 81: G. C. Saunders (Christchurch) 78. 82. 161— M. G. Brown (Christchurch) 83. 78: G. Hanna (Burnham Camp) 85. 76. 163—P. Magee (Rangiora) 82, 81. 166— 11. J. Henderson (Rangiora* 85. 81. 167— J. R. A. Parlane (Christchurch) 88. 79. I 169—D. J. Cochrane (Coringa Country* 84. 85.