British Open leader thinks he can win

Press, 20 July 1979, Page 24

British Open leader thinks he can win

NZPA Lytham St Annes, England The history of the British Open, golf's oldest championship, abounds with tales of unknowns who flare into prominence on the first day’ — and expire in a welter of bogeys on the next. .

The 108th Open threw uj another plaver of that ill yesterday. Bill Longmuir, a 26-year-old Scottish quali tier, who has never won t tournament in Britain. Longmuir led the field a merry dance by equalling the course record with a six under-par 65. He goes into today’s second round three shots cleat of the U.S. Open champion. Hale Irwin (68) and four clear of Jerry’ Pate (69), another U.S. Open winner. The sages with silver hair, tweed jackets and briai pipes, nod their heads knowingly. They will spend today waiting like vultures for the upstart to falter. But Longmuir, whose opening round included a remarkable sequence of eight

> birdies in 10 holes, thinks differently. “I honestly’ believe I can win this tournament,” he said. “I’m under no pressure . whatsoever, and I think I (can go out and shoot another good score tomorrow.” The reaction to his trailblazing 65 was neatly summed up by Jack Nicklaus. “I don’t believe the score lor the person.” quipped the 'defending champion. “I be-! | lieve they’ve put some fictitious name on top of the ' Header board.” i Nicklaus himself returned a one over par 72 — not | | even a hole in one at the (fifth, the tenth ace of his career, could get him into I sub-par figures. Nicklaus was three under

: i after seven, but four bogeys ion the inward nine set him i back, and in his own words: i “I let a good break and a pretty good round get 1 away.” But Nicklaus, who has fin- - ished out of the top five only three times in his 17 • Opens, is as always within • striking distance of the leaders on 72. the same score as :(the title favourite, Tom Watilson. ■ Bob Charles, the New Zealand left-hander who started I off with high hopes of repeating his 1963 Open vic- \ tory at Royal Lytham, was j one of those to finish back in the pack with a seven over par 78. New Zealand’s other two representatives in the field, Simon Owen and Dennis

Clark finished with 75 and 72 respectively. Many scores were blown to the high seventies and eighties by the winds which, howled in from the Irish Sea' and made Royal Lytham’s; narrow fairways even more! difficult to hit.”

Three-time champion, Gary Player, carded a six over par 77. Intriguingly, his 17-year-old son, Wayne, playing his first Open in the group ahead of his father, was two shots better at 75. If the wind continues the story is likely to be the same throughout the championship, and the prospect of Sunday’s (N.Z. time) finale with the leaders battl-l ing into the wind on the last! six holes, is a tantalising! one.