Changes in golf playing order

Press, 18 February 1986, Page 44

Changes in golf playing order

Bv

BOB SCHUMACHER

Changes in the playing order, rather than alterations in team personnel, provide the main talking points of the Canterbury five-man golf team to compete in the Southland invitational 72-hole teams’ stroke tournament at Otatara on March 15 and 16. The five players who took Canterbury to second place in the Government Life national inter-provin-cial tournament at the Otatara course last November have been retained, understandably so on their early season performances.

The team, in playing order, is: Brent Paterson, Paul Minlfie, John Williamson (captain), Mark Street, John Sanders. Reserve: John Crawford-Smith. Manager Mr Len McKenzie.

Paterson’s No. 1 position was not seriously threatened after his re-cord-breaking victory in the Canterbury stroke championship this month, but Minifie, the Canterbury No. 4 last year, and Williamson, the province’s No. 5, have both been elevated.

Williamson, - twice winner of the Southland tournament, one which brings together the best golfers from all the provinces, had a second placing in the Canterbury stroke championship and the best individual score in the DB Export club championship at the week-end to support his claims for promotion. Minifie, the Waitikiri No. 1, was third in the stroke championship and played solidly at the week-end. In January he

finished third in the national junior tournament at Bridge Pa, Hastings.

While Street has yet to achieve the consistency he would like in his game, he has done nothing to jeopardise his place in the top five. His 68 in the final round of the Canterbury stroke championship was unsurpassed in the 72-hole event, although equalled by Paterson. Sanders had a disappointing result in the provincial stroke event, but was more assertive at Shirley at the week-end when a fine below-par round of 72 and a steady 77 in the second round helped his Christchurch club to victory in the district elimination contest