Top Aust, professionals main golf threat

Press, 21 November 1979, Page 38

Top Aust, professionals main golf threat

PA Wellington I The in-form Australian ( professionals — lack Newton, Stewart Gim. and David (Graham — look to be the ' players likely to provide a jstrong American contingent i with the main opposition in (the 1979 Air New Zealand (shell Golf Open in Welling|ton next week. I The $75,000 tournament, to I be played over the Wellington Golf Club’s Heretaunga ; course from November 29 to December 2, has drawn a near capacity field of 139 professionals and eight amateurs. Over the past four weeks, Newton has won the New

'South Wales and Australia! ! Opens, Graham the Wesl I Lakes Classic and Ginn the (Australian Professional .Golfers’ Association Cham- ! pionship. On the tight, tree-lined fairways of Heretaunga, the igenerally straight hitting oi Graham should give him ar advantage — slight though it may be — over • all othei starters. Third equal in this event at Titirangi last summer Graham has been in great form on the U.S. tour ovei recent months, winning more than $200,000 for the year and taking out the sought-after American P.G.A title.

Ginn, ninth at Titirangi,] came right back to form in; Melbourne the other day for! a popular victory in his] country’s P.G.A. champion-’ ship, while Newton, among! the “also rans” last year,! showed that he is back to: his best form with a great; win last Sunday in the; $150,000 Australian Open. ; The depth of Australian 1 golf is such that a number' of other professionals who! must start at short odds are : Graham Marsh, Bob Shearer,: ■ Rodger Davis and the unpredictable Billy Dunk. ' Two men who know Here-' taunga well and cannot be ruled out of contention, even' ,though in the veteran class,;

are Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle. The American, Gene Littler. who has been described as having a swing which is a “perfect expression of pure orthodoxy in outline and freedom from any kind of idiosyncrasy” spear-heads the U.S. line-up. He will be supported by another great player, Billy Casper. On the “second line” follows Tom Kite, a past winner of a major tournament in New Zealand; Bob Gilder, the 1975 New Zealand Open champion, Scott Simpson, third in last year’s New Zealand Open at. Wanganui, and Bob Risch, a former U.S. public course champion.

A one-time amateur inter-: national, Victor Regalado, is< (the sole Mexican representa-’i itive, while wearing U.K. col-'! lours will be Brian Barnes, of . I Scotland, and Maurice Bem- < (bridge, a former resident), 'professional at Little Aston,'] (near Birmingham. > ; Canada will be represent-; led by Bob Beaucheimin, a < regular on the New Zealand'; (tour, and Ces Fergusson,] (who has not previously! played in this country. Carrying the New Zealand; 1 (flag will be Bob Charles, the'> 'title-holder and a man w'ho , is no stranger to Heretaunga, having won the first of his four New Zealand ;Open titles there in 1954. il

He will be supported by! Terry Kendall and John Lister, ninth and tenth respectively in last week-end’s Australian Open, Simon Owen. Barry Vivian and ■Richard Coombes, who has ! played well in Australia earlier this year. Eight amateurs have entered, among them being (the present Auckland Frey(berg Rosebowl player, Phil ■ Aickin, and representative ; discards Frank Nobilo, who wore New Zealand colours this year, and Peter Creiglton, who raced away with the 1979 Air New Zealand i Fiji Open,