Ormsby heads N.Z. challenge

Press, 19 May 1984, Page 72

Ormsby heads N.Z. challenge

NZPA-AAP Korralbyn, Queensland The twice New Zealand amateur women’s champion, Brenda Ormsby, relied on “chicken golf” to cut Australia’s lead to just one shot going into the final round of the Queen Sirikit golf cup today.

The New Zealander defied the fury of yesterday’s troublesome winds to card a round of 73, three shots better than Japan’s Erika Nakajima. But matching 77s by Edwina Kennedy and Sandy McCaw gave Australia a two-day 36-hole total of 308, one better than New Zealand and three shots clear of Japan. As expected, these three top countries have established a big break on the rest of the international field with Thailand 26 shots behind Australia. But for the howling winds

and a three-putt green at 14, Ormsby could have challenged Libby Wilson’s course record of 72. “I played safe all day, so safe you could call it chicken golf,” a delighted Ormsby said. “The wind made the course extremely long and it was hard to decide just what club to play into the greens.” A par on the last, into the teeth of the wind, would have given Ormsby a share of the course record, but it was not to be. But for a disastrous finish for Jan Arnold, who finished with 80, New Zealand could easily have shattered Australia’s confidence. Arnold, who shot a 79 on the first day, dropped a shot at 16 and two at 18. Australia has won the Sirikit Cup for the last three years with Japan runner-up on each occasion. New Zealand is competing for the