‘The Panther’ to play in Christchurch

Press, 4 December 1981, Page 15

‘The Panther’ to play in Christchurch

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Christchurch golf followers will have a rare opportunity of watching a panther stalk the Russiey course on Monday with the intended prey

being New Zealand's most renowned professional. Bob Charles. The human panther is golf's man of the moment.

Bill Rogers, a 30-year-old Texan, who received his nickname from his fellow players because of his lean and hungry look and because he was always on the move. Indeed. Rogers has been on the move this year, devouring courses and opponents voraciously and his appetite is not yet sated. At present. Rogers is playing in the Air New Zealand Shell Open at Titirangi and should he win that $lOO,OOO tournament, he will have been successful in five different countries. After two victories on the United States circuit, one of which was the Texas Open, a second in the United States Open, and success in the World Series of Golf, Rogers began his safari and he claimed a permanent place in golfing fame by winning the British Open. The Suntory Open in Japan fell to him and an excursionto Australia proved most profitable as he won both' the $70,000 New South Wales Open and the recent $150,000 Australian Open. With those wins. Rogers, who was voted the United States P.G.A.’s “player of the year" recently, advanced his

year's earnings to almost $450,000 and he shows no signs of tiring. By the end of the year he will have played 31 tournaments, seven ’ of them overseas Rogers turned professional in 1974 after being a Walker Cup player the previous year. His professional career started slowly; $29,302 in 1975 and $24,376 in 1976. Then, as he adapted himself fully to the harsh pressure of professional golf, came steady improvement. He earned $88,707 in 1977 and $114,206 in 1978 which was seventeenth best on the tour and a record for the most money won by a nonwinner. He won twice in 1979 - the Bob Hope Classic and the world match play championship at Wentworth — and finished sixth in the stake money list with $230,500. Last year netted him $146,883 from 26 tournaments and twenty-third place over all. The challenge match at Russley between Rogers, the present British Open champion. and Charles, a former winner of the Open, will be played over 18 holes of stroke play. The pair were to have competed in a televised

international teams' challenge in Auckland, but were released from the commitment by Air New Zealand

and Shell to enable spectators in the South Island a glimpse of the impressive Texan.