Top player forced to miss open

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 80

Top player forced to miss open

The withdrawal of lan Baker-Finch from this week’s Broadbank New Zealand Open at Russley has removed from the field one of the in-form and most accomplished golfers. A World Cup representative for Australia this year, Baker-Finch, aged 25 and a professional for six years, regrets that be will not be able to play at Russley this week, but he has a prior commitment to honour. In his visits to Europe over the last few years, Baker-Finch, the winner of the 1983 New Zealand Open, has been befriended by members of the Sunningdale Golf Club in England and has stayed with one of them, John Knox. In recognition of what Knox and other members, including the former English cricket captain, Ted Dexter, have done for him, Baker-Finch invited them to stay with him at his home in Morayfield, Queensland. . The invitation was accepted, and the trip planned, when Baker-Finch was in England recently. A clash between this country’s two main tournaments, last week’s Air New Zealand Shell Open and the Broadbank New Zealand Open, was unavoidable. Baker-Finch elected to play in the tournament at Titirangi and flew back to ■Melbourne on Sunday evening, richer by $8316 as a result of his equal third. Rounds of 63, 68, 71 and 68 tied him with Bob Charles, six shots behind the winner, D. A. Weibring, of the United States, and five behind the Australian, Rodger Davis. His English friends were to have arrived yesterday, and he will be taking them around the best courses in his area, including Royal Melbourne, during their /he tall, athletically-built Baker-Finch, who finished second on last year’s Australian and New Zealand order of merit table, with earnings of almost sAust7o,ooo, has had another excellent year in 1985. He has travelled extensively, playing in the United States, Europe, Asia and Pacific countries. Apart from his victory in the Scandinavian Open, his best successes have been at home. His wins include the Queensland P.G.A., the Victorian Open and there have been high finishes in the Tasmanian and South Australian Opens and the Australian P.G.A. championship. Baker-Finch played 39 tournaments last year and has been active again this year with 36. He is looking forward to a week of relaxation, but he will be kept up to the mark in golf by his English friends. Dexter is a scratch golfer and Knox plays off four. Baker-Finch was genuinely disappointed that he could not try for his second New Zealand Open title in three years. Speaking at Titirangi at the week-end, he said that he had made many friends in Christchurch when he was there for the 1982 New Zealand Open at Shirley, and that he hoped he could get back soon.