Chch set to regain Woodward Cup

Press, 29 October 1982, Page 30

Chch set to regain Woodward Cup

Bv 808 SCHUMACHER

The captain of the Christchurch Woodward Cup golf team, John Williamson, is doubly determined that his team will not surrender its slender advantage of a half point when the final two rounds of the premier interclub championship are played at Avondale on Sunday.

Williamson was appointed captain of the team for the first time last year and had an enviable record to uphold. Christchurch having won the Woodward Cup for the previous five years. The 1981 competition proved quite disastrous for Christchurch and the team effort declined so dramatically that the defending champion was unable to finish in the top half of the 10-team. round-robin event.

This season started equally dismal, a heavy defeat by Waitikiri in the opening round, and a half against Waimairi Beach in the third round. But the other five matches have been won by Christchurch and, apart from a close-fought affair against North Canterbury, it has won decisively. Last year's champion, Russley, was dismissed with ease.

The Christchurch cause

has been helped by lowerplaced teams upsetting the sides which skipped clear when the Shirley players had their shaky start, and Christchurch has a half-point lead over Russley and a one-point advantage over Coringa after seven of the nine rounds.

"We blew it against Waitikiri and we were all disappointed with the performance but a strong team talk afterwards had the right effect. We’ve all tried hard since," said Williamson yesterday.

Williamson added that the team was very keen to regain the Woodward Cup and a practice round was programmed at Avondale last evening. In the final rounds, Christchurch will meet Avondale and Harewood and neither opponent will be treated lightly, according to Williamson.

Although Christchurch beat Avondale for the Shirdale Trophy earlier in the season, the home team has worried Christchurch several times in recent years and its players have the benefit of playing on familiar greens. “Possibly there is the fear of complacency because we are playing two teams in the bottom half, but that in itself

is a good reason not to feel complacent. The two teams will be conscious of the fact that they have not played to their expectations," said Williamson. Williamson said he was pleased that John Sanders, who beat Andrew Robinson in the final of the Christchurch club championship last Sunday, appeared to have come right as the former Otago Freyberg representative had not had the best introduction to the competition. He made mention, too. of John Parlane, who is leading the Stan Rich Salver with six wins and a half from seven matches. “Pads is playing extremely well.”

“As individuals, we have not always gone too well, but the combination has worked well for us.” Was that the secret to success? “Not really, it has been more good luck than anything," was Williamson’s honest reply. So Williamson is poised to lead Christchurch to its seventh victory in the last nine years. If the team is successful, it will have cause to be grateful for the stoic efforts of its captain, who remains the only unbeaten No. 1 with five wins and two halves.