Tasman pair topple Australian golfers

Press, 18 April 1986, Page 32

Tasman pair topple Australian golfers

By

BOB SCHUMACHER,

in Wellington

While it is far too soon to start contemplating a New Zealand victory, two young Tasman golfers yesterday proved that the visiting Australians are not invincible at the national amateur championships at the Hutt course.

With Australians having won the foursomes for the last two years, the stroke title for the last three and the match-play title in 1984 and again last year, reasons for pessimism could be justified, especially as five Australians were among the first seven in the stroke championship on Wednesday.

The fact that Elliott Boult, of the Marlborough club, and Stuart Thompson, of Hokitika, were the last and second-to-last qualifiers, respectively, and as a consequence had to play the stroke champion, Brad King, and the runner-up, Jon Evans, both of Australia, in the first round of match play, meant nothing to the talented pair. In fact, Thompson was fairly itching to draw an Australian after sneaking into the championship field proper.

Boult was first to tee off yesterday morning in the Nationwide-sponsored event along with King. They played at pace, the full 18 holes taking just two hours and a half, and it was a smiling Boult who walked from the last green the victor.

At the tail of the field were Thompson, and Evans, the winner of the foursomes four days earlier. Their match only went to the sixteenth and again it was the Australian who departed dejected. They were not the only casualties in the Australian camp. The fourth qualifier, Ray Picker, who had thrashed Owen Ken-

dall in the Sloam Morpeth international last week, was ousted by the Bay of Plenty No. 1 at the last hole, and one of the juniors, Mike Sammells, found Ron Olivecrona too skilful round his home course. The Australian who holds the title, Gerry Power, was another in imminent danger when the 1983 New Zealand champion, Colin Taylor, of Hamilton, birdied the seventeenth to go 1 up. Power, however, replied in kind at the last and Taylor signed his own “death warrant” by threeputting the first extra hole.

Canterbury has two players through to the last 16. Brent Paterson and Mark Street won the hard way, in sudden-death play-offs, but Paul Minifie dipped out against an Aucklander who spent some time at an American college, Philip Aickin. Minifie paid the penalty literally at the fourth when he played the wrong ball and a couple of putting lapses from short range were enough to put him into the New Zealand plate. Paterson was matched against the most senior of New Zealand’s present amateurs, Mike Barltrop, the Aucklander who was runner-up last year. They were nip and tuck, Barltrop seizing the initiative with an early birdie, but Paterson played par golf and that was sufficient for him to be ahead at the tenth by one hole. Back came Barltrop

with a birdie at 11. Paterson seemed to have a winning break after winning 13 and 15 when Barltrop three-putted. Indicative of the match, however, Paterson threeputted 16 and lost 17 to a 3m birdie putt.

Paterson had his first birdie at 18, from 7m, but Barltrop answered with a birdie from sm. So they went to the first tee again “and it took five further holes before the issue was settled in Paterson’s favour after both had had reasonable putting chances on each extra hole. At the twenty-third, Paterson made par from 2.5 m, and Barltrop, suspect on the greens, threeputted from sm. Street has been dogged by misfortune this week. His golf shoes, street shoes, New Zealand uniform, practice balls and other clothing were taken from his hotel and have not been returned. Before playing Matthew Lane yesterday morning, he had a swing with his wedge and broke the top of the shaft. He had to make do with a No. 9 iron for the short, lofted approaches. The professional at Hutt, Dennis Sullivan, was in his workshop yesterday afternoon carrying out hasty repairs.

Street’s match followed a similar course to Paterson’s. He was 2 up with three to play, lost 16 and 17, but won the first extra hole with par after Lane’s drive left him embedded in heavy rough. The day, though, be-

longed to Boult, aged 20, and Thomson, aged 19. Boult, 3 up after seven, went 1 down after King holed a long birdie putt at 11 and won 12 with a par. He was back in business when he squared the match at 15 and a 3m birdie putt at 17 was the decisive blow.

Thompson “played not too badly” and was always in front of Evans.

It was a successful day, too, for the Canterbury players in the R. and A. Rose Bowl championship.John Crawford-Smith, Paul Hensen, Kerry Lake and Steve Paterson all safely negotiated the first round. Results:

E. Boult (Blenheim) beat B. King (Australia) one up, P. Devenport (Paraparaumu Beach) beat D. Pender (Flaxmere) 2 and 1, D. Paterson (Coringa) beat M. Barltrop (Manukau) on the 23rd, T. Cochrane (North Shore) beat A. Rose (Miramar) one up, S. Taylor (Australia) beat B. Colbert (Manor Park) 2 and 1, G. Power (Australia) beat C. Taylor (Hamilton) on the 19th, S. Morshuis (Taieri) beat M. Pettigrew (Hutt) 2 and 1, O. Kendall (Mount Maunganui) beat R. Picker (Australia) one up, P. Aickin (Whitford Park) beat P. Minifie (Waitikiri) 3 and 2, R. Olivecrona (Hutt) beat M. Sammells (Australia) 2 and 1, P. O’Malley (Australia) beat G. Stephens (Titirangi) 3 and 2, K. McDonald (St Clair) beat B. Hughes (Shandon) 6 and 5, B. Lincoln (Australia) beat F. Borren (Hutt) 3 and 2, M. Street (Harewood) beat M. Lane (Shandon) on the 19th, G. Dyer (Maungakiekle) beat G. Goldfinch (Grange) one up, S. Thompson (Hokitika) beat J. Evans (Australia) 3 and 2.