Debbie Randell wins golf title by five strokes

Press, 18 March 1982, Page 40

Debbie Randell wins golf title by five strokes

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Another excellent display, of golf from the Nelson teenager, Debbie Randell, enabled her to win her, first Canterbury women’s stroke title at Waitikiri yesterday.

The 18-year-old golfer from the Greenacres club started the final round with a lead of four strokes and she had the championship in safe keeping with five holes remaining. At that point she was one-under for the round and, although she dropped shots on the next four holes, it mattered little. Miss Randell finished with 78 and a 54-hole aggregate of 232 which left her five strokes ahead of the defending champion, Sue Hamilton, who was seeking her fifth success in the tournament. The blonde-headed Miss Randell said that she started to lose interest over the final few holes and certainly a few closing shots lacked the authority and judgment shown earlier. She had hit through the ball extremely well for most of the round and said that she had never been hitting the ball straighter than in the last two months. There are seven par-5s for women on the Waitikiri card and in all but two cases, Miss Randell was able to reach the green with her second shot, sometimes using an iron approach. She birdied four of the par-5s and was allowed the luxury of two putts to achieve her birdies. The same boldness evident in Miss Randell’s long game was also shown on the greens where she attacked the hole

with her putts. Twice it cost her strokes but it also enabled her to hole two long putts. Her aggression was refreshing and her success at her second attempt at the title was well deserved. Miss Hamilton also played oustandingly consistent golf early in the round. Apart from the two par-3s, she hit all greens on the front nine and was out in even par 36 with a birdie on seven and a dropped shot at nine. In the first two rounds, Miss Hamilton lost confidence on greens which were a little bobbly and needed positive stroke making. She putted better yesterday, but without much luck. A long birdie putt fell at 11 and Miss Hamilton was quite delighted, but that was her only one-putt, although she had just the one three-putt. Miss Hamilton, too, was one-under par after a birdie at the thirteenth, but she slipped over the- final holes, a two-over at the fifteenth being a bitter blow. However, her 77 was her best effort over the three rounds and she remains a stylish and accomplished player.' Christine Skinner, who made her debut for the Canterbury Russell Grace team last year, must have cemented her place in the team with a fine 78, also her best round, which gave her

third placing, one stroke ahead of Jeannette Ross, who had been second overnight. Mrs Ross had a discomforting start yesterday, dropping two strokes on the straightforward first hole, and it was quite a battle for her to keep her drives and approaches on the desired line. Leading scores:— Silver A ((1-13) 232 — Miss D. Randell. 74 , 80. 78. 237 — Miss S. Hamilton, 78. 82, 77. 240 — Mrs C. Skinner, 83. 79, 78. 241 - Mrs J. M. Ross, 81. 78. 82. 245 - Miss L. Watts. 80. 88. 77. 246 — Mrs M. Sparrow. 84. 84. 78. 247 — Mrs S. Lamberton, 78, 85. 84. 251 — Mrs S. Haydon, 86, 87, 78: Mrs A. King. 82, 85. 84. 253 — Mrs D. Ritchie. 81. 84, 88: Mrs S. Murphy, 86. 82. 85. 255 — Mrs J. Benschop, 83, 87, 85. Silver B (14-18) 274 — Mrs J. Beckinsale, 94. 89. 91. ' 276 — Miss J. Simpson. 94. 97. 85. 277 — Mrs F. Rutherford, 92. 87, 98. 279 - Mrs M. Goss, 91, 92. 96. 280 — Mrs A. Bayliss. 94, 91, 95. 281 - Mrs H. Willy. 99. 89. 93. ’ 282 — Mrs G. Cleverley, 96. 92, 94: Mrs M. R. Satterthw’aite, 98, 92, 92.