Canterbury has slim chance of retaining golf title

Press, 10 November 1984, Page 80

Canterbury has slim chance of retaining golf title

from

BOB SCHUMACHER,

in New Plymouth

Canterbury’s budget for a successful defence of its national inter-provincial golf championship allowed for no more than one concession.

That came on Thursday against Taranaki, but after a taxing time yesterday morning against Bay of Plenty, the title-holder finished!, the day at the Ngamotu course with four wins and a share of second place with Waikato in the Government Life tournament. The main problem, though, is that the unbeaten front-runner, Auckland, has looked very good. What Waikato and Canterbury do have in their favour is that both have to meet Auckland in the final two rounds today. For Canterbury, the perfect result would be for Waikato to beat Auckland in the morning and for it to decisively beat Otago. If Auckland accounts for Waikato, Canterbury is unlikely to have enough individual games in hand for it to hold the championship even if it toppled the North Island side in the last round. Yesterday signalled the end of Southland’s bid, beaten by Hawke’s Bay and then by Manawatu-Wan-ganui, and Wellington also dropped out of contention when Manawatu-Wanganui upset it in the morning. Mid-South Canterbury, which beat Auckland two years ago, proved troublesome again and won two matches. Charlie Alexander, now the only unbeaten No. 1, ended the winning streak of the former international and Auckland’s top player, Phil Mosley. Poverty Bay-East Coast has been the subject some cruel barbarisms. Its record in the first four rounds stood at no wins, one and a half individual games. “Easy fodder” for other teams has been a common expression of the helpless combination from Gisborne. But Canterbury did not devour the opposition as easily as expected in the afternoon. In fact, after six holes, Murray Brown was 2 down, as was Mark Street,

and John Sanders was square. A slight pause in play about that time allowed Canterbury to assess the situation. The “time out” came in handy and Canterbury slowly but surely gained control, at least in three matches which ensured the over-all win. But Canterbury needed a big win and got it, somewhat fortuitously, in the end, succeeding 4%-%. Brent Paterson, three-under and 4 up after seven, was pencilled in as the winner at an early stage, and Paul Minifie’s improved approach shots and delicate putting touch proved too much for Base Westrupp. Sanders, too, wore down the youthful Rowan Clarke through his consistency. Clarke hit few greens, recovered skilfully, many times, but, inevitably, his flaws were exposed. . Brown’s temperament helped him through a trying time against a grizzled campaigner, Brian Sexton, whose ability to catch his twirling club in mid-air would be envied by many budding drum majors. Brown was 3 down after seven, but talked and walked as if it was just a minor setback in his pleasing progress to date. He squared the match at the eleventh, holed two very important 2m putts to stay that way through 13 and 14, and got the decisive break at 16. Amazingly, Brown won the par-5 hole with a par after putting his second out of bounds. His fourth shot was 2.5 m from the pin and he holed that putt while Sexton proceeded to take four shots from a handy approach. Ray Sutton was even more obliging. He had played well against Street, hit some prodigious drives, recovered spectacularly, halved holes in birdies, and putted tidily to earn his 2 up

position with two to play. Then he stupidly undid all the good work and underlined the lack of discipline and dedication of the Poverty Bay side. He three-putted the last two greens, missing a very short winning putt at 17, and giving them precious little consideration. The morning contest between Canterbury and Bay of Plenty was critical for both teams after their defeats on Thursday. The winner still had title hopes, the loser was out of the hunt. Bay of Plenty has become very frustrated with Canterbury. The teams have met regularly in recent years and many times Bay of Plenty has had chances of the championship. Equally as many times, Canterbury has quashed its hopes. Yesterday was no different. Canterbury’s hardfought 3-2 win gave it its ninth victory in as many contests since the northern team last won in 1972. Paterson, though, might well see the Bay of Plenty No. 1, Owen Kendall, as his nemesis. The nonchalant Kendall popped in 3m putts for havles as if they were of no consequence to keep square with the more consistent Paterson over the opening holes. When he struck it was as swift as a viper. He had four holes on Paterson just after the turn and that was too many for the previously unbeaten Paterson to pull back. Paterson’s loss was only his second in 18 contests at the tournament over the last three years. Kendall was his conqueror on the other occasion as well. Yesterday Kendall had nine one-putt greens, Paterson holed nothing of significance, and that was the deciding factor. Results.— Round four: Tasman 5, Poverty Bay-East Coast: 0

K. Downie beat B. Sexton, 2 and 1; G. Girvin beat B. Westrupp, 2 and 1; L. Marfell beat R. Sutton, 2 and 1; G. Domigan beat R. Clarke, 2 up; E. Boult beat G. Smith, 3 and 2. Canterbury 3, Bay of Plenty 2 M. Brown beat P. Creighton, 1 up; P. Minifie beat S. Morpeth, 3 and 2; M. Street lost to M. Nicholson 2 up; J. Sanders beat W. Sipson, 3 and 2; B. Paterson lost to 0. Kendall, 3 and 2. Auckland 3, Mid-South Canterbury 2 K. Hankin beat R. Bell, 5 and 4; T. Treen beat A. Mangum, 3 and 2; T. Pulman beat G. Kelly, 4 and 3; G. Stephens lost to P. Hayes, 4 and 3; P. Mosley lost to C. Alexander, 1 up. Other results: Waikato 3, Taranaki 2; Otago 4, Northland 1; ManawatuWanganui 3, Wellington 2; Hawke’s Bay 3, Southland 2. Round five: Bay of Plenty 4%, Tasman % O. Kendall beat E. Boult, 3 and 2; B. Sipson and G. Domigan, all square; M. Nicholson beat L. Marfell, 2 and 1; S. Morpeth beat G. Girvin, 2 and 1; P. Creighton beat K. Downie, 2 and 1. Canterbury 4%, Poverty Bay-East Coast % B. Paterson beat G. Smith 3 and 2; J. Sanders beat R. Clarke 3 and 2; M. Street and R. Sutton, all square; P. Minifie beat B. Westrupp, 5 and 4; M. Brown beat B. Sexton, 2 up. Mid-South Canterbury 2, Otago 3 C. Alexander and K. McDonald, all square; P. Hayes and S. Morshuis, all square; G. Kelly lost to F. Whitaker, 3 and 2; A. Mangum lost to P. Conlon, 1 down; R. Bell beat M. McDowell, 1 up. Other results: Waikato 3, Northland 2; Auckland 4, Wellington 1; Manawatu-Wanganui 3%, Southland 1%; Taranaki 4, Hawke’s Bay 1. Points and individual wins, after five rounds: Auckland 5 (18%), Waikato 4 (16%), Canterbury 4 (15%), Taranaki 3% (15%), Bay of Plenty 3 (14%), ManawatuWanganui 3 (13%), Wellington 2% (13%), Otago 2 (12%), Tasman 2 (11%), Southland 2 (11), Hawke’s Bay 2 (10), Mid-South Canterbury 1% (10%), Northland % (9), Poverty Bay-East Coast 0 (2).