Hong Kong selection blow to N.Z. hopes

Press, 16 September 1982, Page 36

Hong Kong selection blow to N.Z. hopes

Hong Kong has been chosen as the venue for the 1984 world amateur golf team championships, against strong competition from the Philippines, New Zealand and Taiwan.

The Philippines, who produced a late invitation to host the biennial event, at yesterday's meeting of the World Amateur Golf Council, gave the unofficial assurance that they would not bar any nations from competing whereas Hong Kong will not accept South Africa. Hong Kong’s success appears to have hinged on the cheap package deal of airfares and . hotels that they placed before the meeting, making it easier for more nations to enter.

New Zealand lost out in this regard, because airfares would have been double that of those to Hong Kong for the many European nations involved. New Zealand was

also against South Africa's participation. Taiwan would not accept Israel, and a further problem was its insistence on being referred to as the Republic of China. New Zealand and Taiwan were eliminated in the first ballot of voting, with none of the four contenders having a clear majority at that stage, which resulted in the second round of voting.

The 1984 tournament will be played on a composite course at' the Royal Hong Kong golf club, Fanling. The New Zealanders were naturally disappointed at the outcome.

Mr Tim Treacy, a member of the administrative committee of the W.A.G.C., said it was impossible to match the Hong Kong deal. “I’m sad because we have supported every world championship since the event was

inaugurated in 1958. while Hong Kong has. missed half of. them — material considerations seem to have swayed matters, and there was a block vote among the Europeans against us." “We’ve ..spent a lot of money sending teams to these events, and. have yet to act as hosts.”

Mr Treacy retained his place on the committee, but an Australian, Mr Graham Kean, was replaced by an Indian, Mr A. Bhandari.

The Eisenhower Trophy for men begins today at the Lausanne Golf Club, a narrow tree-lined course on the hills above the city, with the United States confident as defending champions. New Zealand’s team of Colin Taylor, Mike Barltrop (who both played at Pinehurst in 1980) and the youngsters, Greg Turner and Philip Aickin, have a reasonable chance of a successful