‘D.A.’ wooed the Titirangi galleries

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 54

‘D.A.’ wooed the Titirangi galleries

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Donald Albert Weibring answers to “D.A.” In fact the winner of the $140,000 Air New Zealand Shell Open golf tournament at Titirangi on Sunday would turn a deaf ear to anyone who might try to summon him by use of his Christian name.

Weibring has been known by his initials since his days in short pants. His father is also Donald Albert and he explains that the decision to use his initials was taken by his mother when he was a youngster. “Mom decided she didn’t want me to be called ‘Little Don’ or ‘Junior,’ so she started to call me D.A. It has been with me ever since.”

D.A. Weibring brought more than just the much talked about supernatural putter to Titirangi. He came in the shadow of the United States Open champion, Andy North, but the roles had been reversed by the time they departed. North was unable to break the par of 70 in any of the four rounds. Weibring’s worst round was a threeunder par 67. It was unfortunate that North was affected by a virus. He tried very hard but it was not his tournament, the putts refused to fall, and he was a dejected man at the end of it all. Not so Weibring. He was full of good humour, never short of something to say and he brought a scientific touch to a game which he played with flair and finesse. His putter was the prime example. It was designed by a former United States space programme scientist, Dave Pelz, and had a very thin head to the blade with three golf balls in a row behind it Weibring gave it a thorough testing before deciding on three balls. He tried as many as 12, as few as one.

Weibring found that the putter aligned better, the balance was perfect and that the surface had a sweet spot wherever the ball was struck. He left no room for argument after his brilliant putting display on the Titirangi greens. Also in Weibring’s golf bag were three wedges. There was a pitching wedge sloped at 50 degrees, a middle sand wedge at 55 degrees, and a finesse (sand) wedge at 60 degrees. He knew precisely how far each club could send the ball and it was this knowledge that enabled him to select the correct wedge and toss in a perfect approach to the last green which set him up for the match-winning birdie putt. Weibring was constantly sought by the news media and he met every request willingly and pleasantly. Married with two children, Weibring, a native of Illinois but now living in South Carolina, was a ready conversationalist, who touched on subjects ranging

from hypnotherapy to the Dallas Cowboys gridiron team. He admitted he was a St fan of the Dallas boys and did therapy for a recurring injury to his left wrist with the team’s doctors and physical staff. *You love or you hate them, but you certainly have an opinion one way or the other,” said Weibring, who rang home midway through the golf tournament and was overjoyed to learn they had won a vital game. It is understandable why Weibring is one of the more popular players on the United States P.G.A. tour. He is an engaging person and there will be many people in Auckland who hope he will be back next year to defend his title.

“I would certainly like to come back and defend it,” he said after his record breaking victory on Sunday. • North intends trying a Weibring model putter and Bob Charles wryly commented that he wanted the first left-handed one.