Canty golfers win decisively

Press, 15 September 1986, Page 24

Canty golfers win decisively

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Canterbury scored its biggest win against Otago since the resumption of the annual golf competition between the two provinces in 1982 when it demolished the southern visitors, 12i/ 2 -3!/ 2 , at Templeton during the week-end.

At the end of Saturday’s round, Canterbury had attained a position of some security. Although three of the eight matches went to the seventeenth green and the other five went the full distance, Canterbury had established a half-way advantage. The only loss for Canterbury was by its No. 2, John Williamson, who, from the relatively healthy position of 2 up with five to play, proceeded to lose four consecutive holes to the stalwart and leader of the Otago team, Phil Conlon. In stark contrast to the tense finishes of Saturday afternoon’s matches, Canterbury wasted no time yesterday in gaining the ascendancy. After three holes it was ahead, 7-1; the position had hardly deteriorated at l>/ 2 at the turn, and it had

reverted to 7-1 by the finish. Canterbury had won four matches before the seventeenth and wrapped up three more at that hole. There was a danger of Otago being whitewashed yesterday as its No. 5, Greg Paterson, was square with Kerry Lake walking down the eighteenth.

Lake could afford to have spring in his step. From 3 down after 13 he had fought back to level after 17. He won 14 with a monstrous putt of 22m from the bottom of the green and up a steep incline. Then he matched Paterson’s birdie putt at 15 and won 16 and 17.

Paterson, who played soundly, did not crumble completely, and when Lake missed a putt of several metres on the last green, he safely holed his par putt for the win. In most other matches, Canterbury was always in control. Its No. 1, Mark Street, had three birdies and was two-under par in beating Conlon, whose address of the ball signified a murderous intent and sometimes landed him in deep trouble; Street; played with aggression and

putted capably, as did Murray Brown and Russell Start in their decisive wins. It took some time for Williamson to dispose of a gritty Simon Thomas. The youthful Otago No. 2 played several deft recovery shots, but his luck ran out at the seventeenth when his tee shot came to rest behind trees.

After winning the first five holes (the fourth and fifth with birdies), John CrawfordSmith was poised for an early finish. However, Brett Atkinson, the youngest of a talented trio of brothers, birdied the ninth to win his first hole and retrieved another with a birdie at 12. Even when defeat was imminent, he prolonged their game by chipping in at 16, the ball hurtling in, out, then back in the cup. Rick Vincent, after dropping three successive holes on the front nine to negate a flying start, resumed control against Otago’s Dave Romeril with a birdie at the twelfth, and the Canterbury No. 8, Joe Gantley, found the back nine on his home course profitable as he broke a deadlock with Neil McSkimming by winning three holes from the twelfth

to the fifteenth. The result was most satisfying for the new convener of the Canterbury selection panel, Mr Bob Bradley, and his fellow selectors, Noel Bain and Len McKenzie. It was the first time a team they had selected had taken the course. Two earlier fixtures had been cancelled because of wet weather. Results:— SATURDAY Canterbury 5%, Otago 2«4 M. E. Street halved with S. Thomas; J. N. Williamson lost to P. N. Conlon, 2 and 1; J. M. Crawford-Smith beat P. Cassidy, 1 up; M. G. Brown halved with B. Atkinson; K. A. Lake beat D. Romeril, 2 and I; R. M. Vincent halved with G. Paterson; R. L. Start beat N. McSkimming, 2 up; J. R. Gantley beat P. Rae, 2 and 1. SUNDAY Canterbury 7, Otago 1 Street beat Conlon, 5 and 3; Williamson beat Thomas, 2 and 1; Crawford-Smith beat Atkinson, 2 and 1; Brown beat Cassidy, 4 and 3; Lake lost to Paterson, 1 down; Vincent beat Romeril, 2 and 1; Start beat Rae, 5 and 4; Gantley beat McSkimming, 3 and 2.