Bob Shearer draws out to six-stroke lead at Titirangi

Press, 5 December 1981, Page 64

Bob Shearer draws out to six-stroke lead at Titirangi

PA Auckland The Australian, Bob Shearer, has stretched to a six-stroke lead at the half-way mark in the Air New Zealand-Shell Open at Titirangi. The day’s best score of 66 after a first round 63 gave him a 36-hole tally of 129.

The New Zealand lefthander. Bob Charles, followed a first round 66 with a 69 yesterday to hold second place, two strokes ahead of the Australian, Bill Dunk (68-69). and the American, Mike Cahill (68-69). Shearer, an early starter, had best use of the course while the greens held the dew and there was no wind. As the sun took over, and later there was a little breeze, the course hardened up and the scoring suffered accordingly. After Shearer’s 66 the best scores were a 67 by the tournament’s drawcard, the American. Bill Rogers. The Australian, Steven Bann, and John Lister (New Zealand) hit 68 and there were 69s to the Australians, Guy Wolstenholme, Noel Ratcliffe, Dunk, and Mike Clayton, the Englishman, Maurice Benbridge, and American, Bob Heins' and Charles. The New Zealander, Stuart Reese, the overnight leader, could not stay with the pace slumping to a five over 75 yesterday. Shearer also was not up to the form of the first day, having trouble getting the ball up to the pin and had to take 32 putts. He was nevertheless happy with his game and his lead at halfway is a

handsome bonus. Rogers was a lot happier with his game and by now respects the Titirangi layout. After dropping two shots early, he got back into stride with a magnificent sevenmetre putt on the seventh. “I was going along doing nothing,” he said. “Then I got that putt and it got me going in the right direction,” Rogers said. Ten strokes off the pace, Rogers is still confident the tournament can be won. Charles was critical of the slow play. “Playing conditions were perfect," he said. “You don’t like making excuses for not scoring well but the play was pathetically slow.” Charles also blamed the greens for the not-so-good scoring during the day. “They were getting pretty difficult,” he said. “They were nowhere as good in the afternoon as they were on Thursday morning. They are drying out and it makes for negative putting,” he said. Scores at the end of the second round were: 129: R. Shearer (Aus), 63.66. 135: R. J. Charles (N.Z.), 66, 69. 137: W. Dunk (Aus). 68,69; M. Cahill (U.S.). 68,69. 138: G. Wolstenholm (Aus), 69,69; R. Heins (Aus). 69.69; G.

Marsh (Aus). 67,71; S. Reese (N.Z.), 63.75; C. Tickner (Aus) 62.72; J. Lister (N.Z.). 69,69.

son (N.Z.), 73.75; P. Crocker (Aus). 74.74; R. Here (Aus). 71,77; B. Jones (Aus). 77.71 149: W. Davies (N.Z.), 75.74: T. Kendall (N.Z.), 72,77; R. Barker (N.Z.), 69,80; S. Light (U.S.). 76,73; B. Devlin (Aus), 73,76; J. Newton (Aus). 75.74; L. Stephen (Aus), 75,74; B. Evans (U.K.). 74,75; D. Lynch (Aus). 77,72; D. Klenk (U.S.), 75.74; L. Stephen (Aus), 75,74. 150: F. Conallin (Aus), 74,76: L. Woodward (Aus), 78,72; R. Wood (Aus), 78,72: T. Kelso (N.Z.), 73,77; R. Herbert (Aus). 77,73; S. Ratcliffe (Aus). 76.74; M. Griffin (N.Z.), 70,76; D. J. Clark (N.Z.), 74,76; F. Malloy (N.Z.), 75,75. 151: P. Norman (Aus). 76,75; G. Doolan (Aus). 75.76; J. Reid (N.Z.), 74.77: S. Bidwell (N.Z.). 75,76; R. Wolfe (U.S.). 73,78; A. Snape (N.Z.), 73,78. 152: B. Smith (U.S.), 77.75; A. Pate (N.Z.). R. Ellis (N.Z.), 78.74; M. Tapper (N.Z.). 76,76; G. Alexander (Aus), 76.76. 153: D. Armstrong (Aus), 78.75; C. Owen (N.Z.), 77,76; D. Leary (Aus). 73,80; N. Ulmer (Aus), 75,78; M. Sparling (Aus), 78,75; R. Newdick (N.Z.). 74,79. 154: L. Canning (Aus), 76.78. 155: P. Stoddart (N.Z.), 74,81; I. Smalley (N.Z.). 79,76. 156: T. Ducey (U.S.). 81,75; P. Powell (N.Z.), 78,78; S. Mori (Japan), 77,79; G. Smart (N.Z.), 79,77. 157: C. B. Stewart (U.S.), 83,74; R. De Mello (U.S.), 82,75; G. Fisher (N.Z.). 75,82. 158: R. Salter (Aus), 81,77; D. Sullivan (N.Z.), 78,80: D. Hartshorne (N.Z.), 80,78; B. Griffiths (N.Z.), 82,76; C. Hearn (Aus), 76.82; J. Kelly (Aus). 77,81; M. Lavery (N.Z.),’79,79. 159:‘W. Robert (Aus), 80.79; D. M. Clark (N.Z.). 78,81; T. Hulls (Aus). 79.80. 160: J. Evans (N.Z.). 80.80; B. Watt (N.Z.), 83.77. 161: M. Young (N.Z.), 80,81; K. Park (N.Z.), 79.82. 164: N. Hayden (N.Z.), 82,82; T. Leech (N.Z.) 82,82. 165: P. Mahoney (N.Z.). 85,80. 167: G. Cole (N.Z.), 79,88; G. Keates (N.Z.), 86,81; R. Moor (N.Z.), 82.85. 168: D. Gleason (U.S.), 85.83. 169: C. Douglas (Aus). 78,91. 171: G. Grut (N.Z.), 87,84.

139; M. Bembridge (U.K.). 70. 69; W. Rogers (U.S.). 72,67.' 140: T. Gale (Aus), 67.73; R. Davis (Aus) 69.71. 141: N. Ratcliffe (Aus), 72.69; D. Walters (U.S.). 69.72; S. Bann (Aus). 73,68. 142: K. Nagle (Aus). 71.71; M. Clayton (Aus). 73,69; J. Anderson (Can). 71,71: M. Colandro (U.S.), 72,70; R. Swanson (Aus). 74, 68; L. Hinkle (U.S.). 71,71. 143: W. Grady (Aus). 69,74; R. Coombes (N.Z.), 72.71; S. Ginn (Aus). 72.71; M. Holland (Aus), 73,70; E. Darcy (Ireland). 72. 71; L. Collins (U.S.), 71.72; B. Vivian (N.Z.), 71,72; A. Russell (U.S.), 72.71; C. Bishop (Aus). 71,72: E. Ball (Aus). 73,70; T. Jackson (U.S.), 73.70; J. Godwin (U.S.), 72.71; P. Mateer (N.Z.), 70,73. 144: F. Nobiio (N.Z.), 70,74; T. Graham (U.S.). 74.70; K. Dukes (Aus), 72.72; D. Hepler (U.S.). 72,72; V. Somers (Aus). 70,74. 145: A. Bonnington (N.Z.). 75,70; R. Stephens (Aus), 75,70; I. Bakerfinch (Aus), 69,76; G. Halberg (U.S.). 76,71; M. Harwood (Aus), 72.73; R. Lee (Aus), 72,73; I. Stanley (Aus), 75,70. 146: M. Krantz (U.S.), 73.73; W. Chancellor (N.Z.), 74,72; T. Ireland (Aus), 75,71; G. Merrick (Aus), 73,73; P. Hamblett (N.Z.). 73,73. 147: S. Owen (N.Z.), 74,73; J. Benda (U.S.), 74,73; M. Moynihan (N.Z.), 74,73; W. Young (Aus), 75,72; W. Godfrey (N.Z.), 71,76; J. Croskery (N.Z), 70.77; J. Clifford, (Aus), 68.79. 148; S. Nobes (Aus), 76,72; K. Southerden (N.Z.), 72,76; G. Wal-