Smith to defend ‘Press’ title

Press, 8 February 1985, Page 10

Smith to defend ‘Press’ title

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

The name might be different but the face will be familiar when Debbie Smith endeavours to become the first person to win "The Press” women’s invitation golf tournament for the fourth time at the week-end. As Debbie Randell, the accomplished Motueka er has won the last tournaments and that in itself was a record-break-ing feat. No-one had previously been successful for three consecutive years, although Sue Hamilton received the winning trophy on three occasions over a six-year period, her first success coming in the inaugural event in 1975.

Miss Kandell’s change of surname coincided with her most memorable golfing performance. She was on her honeymoon last October when, as Mrs Smith, she competed in the New Zea-

land amateur championships and won the national match-play title from the country’s top-ranked player, Janice Arnold, of Hamilton. The form book points to another victory by Mrs Smith in the 54-hole stroke tournament at Windsor at the week-end, but it might not be a cut and dried affair for the New Zealand Espirito Santo representative. She had eight strokes to spare in 1982, six the next year when her three-round total of 224 was a record low, and four last year when she again scored 224. The opposition assembled against her this week-end is the best for many years. Sue Hamilton is missing and so is the 1982 champion, Cushla Sullivan, but most of the South Island’s low handicappers, including two former champions, Sue Boag and Liz Douglas, will be after top honours. Mrs Douglas will be the centre of interest. She has not long been in Christchurch and may well be in a position to represent Canterbury this year after serving Southland and New Zealand with distinction over many seasons. Along with Mrs Smith, she is on a plus handicap. Jan Scandrett, a member of the New Zealand team at the last Commonwealth tournament, is one of three Otago players on handicaps of one to have accepted invitations to compete. Accompanying Miss Scandrett, who was runner-up last year, will be a former No. 1 for the province, Melanie Irvine, and a promising national junior representative, Shelley Duncan. South Canterbury’s top pair last season, Jenny Kellahan and Sue Hutchins, a former international, are in the line-up and Mrs Smith will have the support of three team-mates from last year’s Tasman Stylemaster side, Amy Rewita, Rosemary Hannah-Parr and Ellie Lankow. “The Press” tournament is the first event in the Canterbury selection events and, as expected, the response has been good from the province’s prominent players. Mary Sparrow, who swept all before her in Canterbury contests last season, taking the stroke, match-play and champion of champions tournaments, is the tightest assessed Canterbury player along with Miss Boag and Lynley Watts. All are on handicaps of two. On three handicaps and very capable of making Mrs Smith and her fellow internationals play to their best are two players who have given distinguished service to Canterbury golf, Adrienne Bond and Jeannette Ross. Two rounds will be played on Saturday and the final 18 holes on Sunday morning.

Draw in sporting fixtures column.