Taylor holds two-stroke lead in golf

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 34

Taylor holds two-stroke lead in golf

PA Timaru Hamilton’s 31-year-old Colin Taylor, three under par on 141, was the top qualifier yesterday and takes a twostroke lead into the final two rounds of the New Zealand amateur golf championship being played at the Levels course in Timaru. Taylor’s power, patience and judgment fashioned a solid round of 71 yesterday to win the St Andrew’s Salver. Chasing him from two strokes away is the brilliant young Otago player, Greg Turner, who had a 72 yesterday. Michael Atkinson (St Clair) 144, John Williamson (Christchurch) .146, and Neil Gaskin (Levin) 147, are the only other players within five strokes of Taylor. The overnight leaders were Paul Hartstone (Te Awamutu), the title-holder, and Taylor, the other 1980 finalist. Hartstone made a faultering start, firing his tee shot out of bounds at the second for a two-over 7. He never fully recovered, returning an 80. “I just didn’t play well,” he said. Taylor had five birdies and four bogeys yesterday. He was square with the card at the turn, two birdies nullifying two bogeys, but coming home in 35, one under, he played some superlative golf. He hit a huge drive down the 441 m eleventh, was bunkered off his second, but stroked a 3m putt beautifully into the cup for his par. He had back-to-back birdies at holes 12 (145 m and 13 (462 m Holing a 5m putt on the short hole, he played superbly at 13—another big drive, his second into a greenside sand trap, a controlled shot to 2m, and the putt went down. A colossal 320 m drive down Devil’s Elbow gave him a wedge to the green, which went through the back. He was 6m short, but once again sank a fine putt. Square with the card after 16, Taylor had a 10m putt for a 3 on the 346 m 17—his fifth birdie.

He pushed his drive down the right side of 18 (367 m the ball rolling in among

trees. A magnificent low fiveiron through the greenery to within a few metres of the green, enabled him to pitch and putt for his par 4, an impressive recovery. Turner was unimpressed by his performance yesterday. He had birdies at the fifth, seventh and seventeenth, dropped shots at 9, 10, and 18 for a par 72 round. Colin Taylor (Hamilton), —G. J. Turner (Otago), 71, _,i,4 —M. J. R. Atkinson (St Clair), 72, 72. 146— N. Williamson (Chch), 76, 70. 147— N. Gaskin (Levin), 74, 73. 148— P. J. Aickin (Whitford Country), 73, 75 149— G. E. Clarke (St Clair), 75, 74; T. Cochrane (Waitemata), 76, 72; P. Heasley (Coringa Country), 76, 73; R. J. Johnson (St Clair), 74, 75; G. C. Saunders (Charteris Bay), 71, 78. 150— P. Hartstone (Te Awamutu), 70, 80; J .H. Lapslev (Waimakariri) 75, 75; B . C. Taylor (Russley), 76, 74. 151— R. M. Barltrop (Wellington), 75, 76; I. Carruthers (Hanmer Springs), 78, 73; C. Alexander (Ashburton), 75, 76; I. Striekett (Nelson), 75, 76. 152— K. I. McDonald (St Clair), 76, 76; B. Soland (Titirangi), 71, 153— R. P. Bell (Ashburton), 77, 76; G. A. Keen (Temuka), 79, 74; zE D Magguigan (Gleniti), 76; J R. Gantley (Templeton), 77, 76; G. A. Kelly (Maungakiekie), 79. 74; D. A. J. Render (Nelson), 76, 77; A. Rose (St Clair), 78, 75. 154— M. E. Street (Russley), 73, 81; A. Mangum (Pleasant Point), 73, 81; J. M. Angus (Russley) 77, 77; H. J. Henderson (Rangiora) 77, 77; I. D. Walsh (Harewood), 76, 78; J B A Saunders (Otago), 77, 77. 155— K. A. Roberts (Shandon) 76, 79; R. T. Hogg 81, 74; I A Peters (Springfield), 78, 77; J. Clark (Whitby), 77. 78; G. Maw (Waitikiri), 73, 77; K. W. Frazier (Ashburtvn), 80, 75; J. W. Prebble (Templeton), 81, 74; R. J. Olivecrona (Hutt), 75, 80; G. D. Brown (Timaru), 77, 78 156— G. R. Kelly (Timaru), 78, 78; G. D. Jones (Shandon), 78, 77; P. K. Atkinson (Russley), 84, 72; J. Finn (St Clair), 77, 79; R. G. McDonald (Waitikiri), 83, 73; W. D. Hoy (Takaka). 79, 77. . 157— T. Bridge (Pupuke), 78, 79; L. Goodson (Timaru), 82, 75; S. S. Robinson (Chch), 79, 78. 158— S. J. Barron (Paraparaumu Beach), 78, 80; B. M. Barron (Paraparaumu Beach), 80, 80; L Chandler (Pupuke), 81, 77; N. S. Reid (Harewood), 76, 82; J. R. Billington (Miramar), 78, 80; B. G. Peterson (Coringa), 80, 78 159— K. Dixon (Miramar), 80, 79; S. R. Keen (Temuka). 73, 81; J. 1. Dixon (Harewood), 80, 79; J A. Domigan (Gleniti), 80, 79; N. Muir (Te Maru), 78, 81; L. Phelps (Paraparaumu), 78, 81. 160— R. Kitto (Wanganui), 79,