Tucker carrying Chch flag

Press, 12 July 1980, Page 20

Tucker carrying Chch flag

In recent years, Christchurch players have had a large say in the possession of the Stan Rich Salver — a trophy awarded to the golfer with the best individual record in the Woodward Cup inter-club competition. Since 1976, the trophy has only once been won by a player from outside the Christchurch club. The

intruder was Avondale’s John Hanton. who won the trophy in 1978 with six wins and a half. Ironically, Hanton has lost all five matches this season. It was the turn of John Williamson in 1976, lan Dobson was successful the next year, and last season, two players from Shirley shared the trophy: Murray Brown and Andrew Robinson both gained the possible seven wins. After five rounds in this year’s championship, a different Christchurch player is making a bold bid to

maintain his club’s proud record. Wayne 'Fucker, a middle-order player, has had five straight successes, a record matched onlv by the Harewood No. 6, John Dixon. Last year, Dixon had more losses than wins but he has been in fine touch this season. Three other players have yet to be beaten and still have a chance of winning the salver with four rounds remaining. Murray Wright (Avondale) has had four wins and a half as has another Christ-

church member. Des Turner. John Prebble, a top--order Templeton player. has won three and halved two of his matches. , Turner and Prebble opL posed each other in tlje fifth round and while neither was seen at his best, Turner, a former Canterbury No. 1, did- well to gain a half. .He . was L down after 16 and poorly placed off the seventeenthtee. But he pitched over a bunker and holed a testing, putt to match Prebble’s par. A birdie at the last gave the Christchurch player a win and a half for the match. On the reverse side of the scale. Hanton, Bob Pirie (Central Canterbury), and David Marks (Hare, wood) have been on the receiving end for five successive matches, and Harley Henderson (North Canterbury) and Nigel Hil-| ton (Templeton) have both lost four games and halved one.