Shearer, Reese steal thunder to lead golf by three strokes

Press, 4 December 1981, Page 28

Shearer, Reese steal thunder to lead golf by three strokes

PA Auckland An Australian, Bob Shearer, and a New Zealander, Stuart Reese, stole the thunder in the opening round of the Air New Zealand-Shell golf open at Titirangi yesterday with seven-under-the-card 635.

They hold a three-stroke overnight lead over Bob Charles (New Zealand) and Chris Tickmer (Australia). Graeme Marsh is a stroke further back, one ahead of his fellow Australians, Billy Dunk and John Clifford, and an American, Mike Carhill. During the day par 70 was beaten 17 times and equalled five times. Reese made good use of the calm conditions for the early starters, making birdies on the first and second, then proceeding to eagle the 415-metre par four fourth, to turn for home four under the card. There was more magic with a run of birdies on 11, 12 and 13, and the only blemish was a shot dropped on the fifteenth. He made up with a birdie on 18 to finish seven under. Shearer had to drop a putt of more than seven metres for the birdie on 18 to grab a share of the lead. “Every dog must have his day,” he said, after coming off the course, and Shearer certainly had his yesterday, getting around in 25 putts, using an unorthodox reverse crosshand grip that has been his style for the last two years. And while his putter was running hot, so were the irons: “I felt I played well in the States this year," he said, "and I hope I can carry it on.”

Shearer’s last big win was the 1980 Gold Coast Classic, but he looked in winning form yesterday. But Shearer may yet get some hurry-up from fellow Australians, Chris Tickner and Terry Gale. Tickner looked relaxed in his round of 66, but was troubled with a rising southerly breeze over the last six holes. If he was lucky to hole a 10-metre putt for the birdie on 16, he was also unlucky to drop shots with three-putt greens on 13 and 17, or he may well have been closer to the leaders. Gale, the winner of the New Zealand P.G.A. championship at Tauranga last week, won the title through steady, rather than spectacular scoring. He shot his rounds in the high 60s and came to the fore when Bob Charles had bogies on the last two holes. Yesterday he started out in the same manner, with a three-under 67, and if he continues being consistent he will be close at the finish on Sunday. Charles, obviously disappointed at letting the P.G.A. slip from his grasp, came back well yesterday, and his 66 was neatly made, with signs that he is hitting the ball well. The big-hitting John Lister also recovered from a.disaster in the last round of the

P.G.A., with a one-under 69 yesterday. It was a round of four birdies but unfortunately there were also shots dropped. Scores at end of the first round are.— 63— S. Reese (N.Z.), R. Shearer (Aust.). 66— R. J. Charles (N.Z.), C. Tickner (Aust.). 67— T. Gale (Aust.), G. Marsh (Aust.). 68— M. Cahill (U.S.), J. Clifford (Aust.), W. Dunk (Aust.). 69— J. Lister (N.Z.), R. Davis (Aust.), R. Barker (N.Z.), W. Grady (Aust.), G. Wolstenholme (Aust.), B. Heins (U.S.), D. Walters (U.S.), I. Baker-Finch (Aust.). 70— J. Croskery (N.Z.). V. Somers (Aust.), P. Mateer (N.Z.), F. Nobilo (N.Z.), M. Bembridge (U.K.). 71— W. Godfrey (N.Z.), C. Bishop (Aust.), R. Hore (Aust.), L. Hinkle (U.S.), K. Nagle (Aust.), L. Collins (U.S.), J. Anderson (Can.), B. Vivian (N.Z.). 72— A. Russell (U.S.), M. Harwood (Aust.), J. Kelly (Aust.), M. Colandro (U.S.), R. Lee (Aust.), K. Dukes (Aust.), J. Godwin (U.S.), D. Hepler (U.S.), W.Rogers (U.S.). K. Southerden (N.Z.), N. Ratcliffe (Aust.). T. Kendall (N.Z.), R. Coombes (N.Z.), S. Ginn (Aust.), E. Darcy (Ireland). 73— T. Kelso (N.Z.), E. Ball (Aust.), G. Merrick (Aust.), T. Jackson (Aust.), A. Snape (N.Z.), P. Hamblett (N.Z.), B. Devlin (Aust.), M. Holland (Aust.), M. Krantz (U.S.), D. Leary (Aust.), i M. Clayton (Aust.), S. Bann (Aust.), B. Wolfe (Aust.). 74— W. Chancellor (N.Z.). B. Evans (U.K.), M. Griffin (Aust.),

D. J. Clark (N.Z.), T. Graham (U.S.), R. Swanson (Aust.), R. Newdick (N.Z.), P. Stoddart (N.Z.). J. Reid (N.Z.), S. Owen (N.Z.). J. Benda (U.S.), F.. Conallin (Aust.), M. Moynihan (N.Z.), G. Watson (N.Z.), G. Halberg (U.S.), P. Croker (Aust.). 75— G. Fisher (N.Z.), C. Hearn (Aust.), L. Canning (Aust.), M. Tapper (N.Z.), T. Ireland (Aust.), F. Malloy (N.Z.), D. Klink (U.S.), W. Davis (N.Z.), R. Stephens (Aust.), I. Stanley (Aust.), A. Bonnington (N.Z.), G. Doolan (Aust.), W. Young (Aust.), N. Ulmer (Aust.), J. Newton (Aust.), L. Stephen (Aust.), S. Bidwell (N.Z.). 76— F. Alexander (Aust.), S. Ratcliffe (Aust.), P. Nowak (Aust.), S. Nobes (Aust.), S. Light (U.S.). 77— B. Jones (Aust.), R. Herbert (Aust.), R. Ellis (N.Z.), D. Lynch (Aust.), C. Owen (N.Z.j, B. Smith (U.S.). 78— D. M. Clark (N.Z.), C. Douglas (Aust.), D. Sullivan (N.Z.), P. Powell (N.Z.), R. Wood (Aust.), D. Armstrong (Aust.), M. Sparling (Aust.). 79— G. Cole (N.Z.), T. Hulls (Aust.), M. Lavery (N.Z.), T. Miskolczi (Can.), M. park (N.Z.), I. Smalley (N.Z.), G. Smart (N.Z.), A. Rate (U.S.). 80— J. Evans (N.Z.), W. Roberts (Aust.), D. Hartshorne (N.Z.), M. Young (N.Z.), B. Griffiths (N.Z.). 81— T. Ducey (Aust.), R. Salter (Aust.). 82— R. Demello (U.S.), R. Moor (N.Z.), T. Leech (N.Z.), N. Hayden (N.Z.). 83— B. Watt (N.Z.), B. Stewart (U.S.). 85— D. Gleason (U.S.), P. Mahony (N.Z.). 86— G. Keats (N.Z.). 87— G. Grutt (N.Z.).