Player, 17, makes golf quarter-finals

Press, 9 October 1985, Page 72

Player, 17, makes golf quarter-finals

PA Hamilton . Sheree Higgens, a Walton golfer, aged 17, who has been playing for only three seasons, reached the quar-ter-finals of the Toshiba New Zealand Women’s golf match play championships at St Andrews, Hamilton yesterday. After narrowly beating Julie Leech (Redwood Park) at the nineteenth hole in the morning, Higgens beat Shona Duncan (Te Awamutu). Yesterday morning, Duncan had eliminated the titleholder, Debbie Smith, of Moteuka, five and three. Higgens and Duncan came to the turn all square. Higgens went one up with a par four at the eleventh, and two up when Duncan’s tee shot was short at the fourteenth. Higgens clinched the match with a par four, when Duncan had trouble in trees at the sixteenth. The top qualifer, Joanne Green, of Lochiel, had a gruelling morning match to beat the Northlander, Julie McConnell, at the twentyfirst.

Green then took toll of the national representative, Jan Cooke (Tauranga), in the second round. Green started brilliantly with birdies at the second and fourth holes, and was six up in as many holes. She dropped only three shots in winning six and five, a fine round in stiff westerly conditions. Apart from the Aucklander, Karrin Duckworth’s two up win on the last green against Louise Mullard, the Australian junior champion, it was not a good day for the New Zealand team, which plays Australia for the Tasman Cup at Melbourne on October 18 and 19.

Jan Scandrett (Otago), like Smith went out in the first round as Jan Malcolm (Lochiel) scored a vital par four at the nineteenth hole.

Liz Douglas (Christchurch) survived the first round, and never recovered from being three down after five holes in the afternoon as the stroke play and foursomes champion, Edwina Kennedy, from Sydney, strolled to a six and four win. The national team reserve, Melanie Irvine I Otago), could not repeat her morning form as Louise Briers from Melbourne, in better form than in the first round, led three up after five holes, four up at the turn, and gave her opponent no chance to recover, in winning five and four. Some credit was salvaged by the Hutt junior national representative, Tracey Hanson, who had two comfortable wins. She beat Sue Hutchins l Geraldine) five and four in the morning, and went to a six up lead at the turn, before eliminating Adrienne Bond (Russley) five and three in the afternoon.

Joan McLean (Pukekohe) survived two tough games. Her morning victory over Rachel Buxton (Christchurch) came with a par four at the twentieth hole. In the second round she beat Jan Malcolm (Lochiel) who was bunkered at the last hole. First round:— S. Higgins (Walton beat J. Leech (Redwood Park) at the nineteenth; K. Duckworth (Huapai) beat M. Kirkby (Whakatane) 3 and 2; E. Kennedy (Sydney) beat A. Laing (Grange) 1 up; E. Douglas (Christchurch) beat A. Hasey (Redwood Park) 2 and 1; J. Malcolm (Lochiel) beat J. Scandrett (Otago) at the 19th; J. McLean (Pukekohe) beat R. Buxton (Christchurch) at the 20th.

Second round:— J. Green (Lochiel) beat J. Cooke (Tauranga) 6 and 5; H. Gosse (Auckland) beat R. Boniface (Queens Park) 3 and 2; L. Briers (Melbourne) beat M. Irvine (Otago) 5 and 4; T. Hanson (Hutt) beat A. Bond (Russley) 5 and 3; S. Higgens (Walton) beat S. Duncan (Te Awamutu) 3 and 2; K. Duckworth (Huapai) beat L. Milliard (Morriset Australia) 2 up; E.

Kennedy (Sydney) beat E. Douglas (Christchurch) 6 and 4; J. McLean (Pukekohe) beat J. Malcolm (Lochiel) 2 up. New Zealand plate elimination round:— J. McConnell (Tapora, Northland) beat M. Mcguire (Remuera) at the 20th; I. van Steenbergen (Flaxmere) beat A. Stott (Muriwai) 5 and 4; L. Jackways (Hamilton) beat L. Watts (Lochiel) 1 up; S. Hutchins (Geraldine) beat B. Bridger (Maungakiekie) 7 and 6; D. Smith (Motueka) beat J. Leech (Redwood Park) 8 and 6; B. Lee (Mt Maunganui) beat M. Kirby (Whakatane) 1 up; A. Laing (Grange) beat A. Hasey (Redwood Park) 2 and 1; J. Scandrett (Otago) beat R. Buxton (Christchurch) 3 and 2. Waddell Rosebowl (second 32 qualifiers):— First round:— M. Stemmer (Christchurch) beat A. Sowman (New Plymouth) 2 and 1; S. Symonds (Yarrawonga Australia) beat J. Brooks (Tauranga) 4 and 2; H. Davison (Walton) beat E. Newbrook (Springfield) 6 and 5; G. Snelling (Matamata) beat I. Lawson (Titirangi) 5 and 3; L. Freeman (Hastings) beat J. Jarman (Manukau) 3 and 2; S. Cross (Springfield) beat J. Ayre (Napier) 6 and 5; R. Price (Springfield) beat N. White

(Auckland) 3 and 2; D. Blake (Tahuna) beat M. Goodall (Hamilton) 1 up; R. Hicks (Whangarei) beat J. Buckley (Gleniti) 3 and 2; D. Brooks (Matamata) beat J. Storey (Lochiel) 1 up; V. Fraher (Grange) beat H. Slater (Geraldine) 2 up; P. King (Pakarunga) beat M. Laugesen (Whakatane) 3 and 2; M. Mackwell (Narrows) beat P. Goldfinch (Grange) 2 up; J. Gimblitt (Flaxmere) beat A. Furness (Mt Maunganui) 2 up; N. Johnston (Hamilton) beat A. Mattingly (Queens Park) 3 and 1; J. Cook (Mt Maunganui) beat G. McMillan (Wairoa) 3 and 2. Second round:— Symonds beat Stemmer 1 up; Davison beat Snellingly 2 up; Freeman beat Cross 4 and 3; Price beat Blake 2 up; Hicks beat D. Brooks 2 up; King- beat Furness 3 and 2; Gimblett beat Mackwell 3 and 2; Cook beat Johnston at the 20th. Waddell Rosebowl flight:— First round: J. Brooks beat A. Salmand 5 and 4; E. Newbrook beat I. Lawson 4 and 3; J. Jarman beat J. Ayre 5 and 3; M. Goodall beat N. White 2 up; J. Storey beat J. Buckley 2 and 1; M. Laugesen beat H. Slatter 4 and 3; A. Furness beat P. Goldfinch at the 19th; G. McMillan beat A. Mattingly at the 20th.