Golf title ‘kept in the family’

Press, 28 December 1987, Page 26

Golf title ‘kept in the family’

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

"At least we kept it in the family,” remarked Stephen Street as he congratulated his brother-in-law, Joe Gantley, on his one-shot win in the Waitikiri New Year 36-hole golf open yesterday. Playing together in the final foursome, Street and Gantley had a keen edge to their rivalry all day. Street had the better of the morning round and he led the field by two strokes after his 72, oneover par. Gantley started the afternoon round in fifth place, three shots behind Street, but birdies at the

tenth, where he twoputted the par-5 green, and another at 11, the result of a 4m putt, had Gantley on terms with Street. They were square playing the thirty-fourth and Street missed a great opportunity to go ahead — his 1.5 m birdie slid by — and Gantley nosed in front at the thirty-fifth when Street’s tee shot found the ornamental pool and cost him a penalty. At the last, Gantley chipped to within 30cm and seemed assured of the win. Street, however, holed an excellent 7m par putt and Gantley deliber-

ated for some time before he struck home the winning putt. Gantley’s victory ended the four-year sequence established by Waitikiri players and the Templeton golfers said that his win was aided by Street “I had to keep an eye on him and it helped knowing I was playing with the first-round leader. I just kept plugging on.”

Twice the reserve for Canterbury Government Life teams, Gantley intends making a determined effort to return to representative play in 1988.

“I would like to try and get back into the Canterbury eight-man team at least” said Gantley, who elected to restrict his golf to interclub level this year. “I needed a break.” Gantley, who was beaten in a play-off for the Harewood open title last month, is now looking at a good result on his home course in the forthcoming Templeton Summer open to enhance his Canterbury claims. A weary Street would have been disappointed with happenings at the closing holes, but the Canterbury representative had shown his class with a

front nine of 33 — two under-par — in the morning. The Waimairi Beach junior, Tony Christie, matched the day’s best rounds of 72 by Street and Gantley to take third ahead of the best of the big Waitikiri contingent, Karl Mariu and David Cochrane, who was the clubhouse leader until a late stage. Cochrane, the 1986 senior champion at Waitikiri, had two twos in his opening round of 74, but his chances were spoilt by poor starts over the first four holes on both nines. Mariu will consider the

thirteenth his bogey hole. He three-putted it in both rounds. Last year’s champion, Warwick Sherwood, had given his title away after 18 holes. He had 81 in the first round. Leading scores: Senior 147 — J. R. Grantley, 75, 72. 148 — S. W. street 72, 76. 149 — A J. Christie, 77, 72. 150 — K. Mariu, 76, 74; D. J. Cochrane, 74, 76. 151 — L. Cron, 74, 77. 152 — G. C. Osborne, 74, 78. 155 — J. McMoore, 76, 79; P. Smith, 81, 74; R. M. Vincent 76, 79; I. D. Dobson, 77, 78.

156 — 1. R. Donaldson, 77, 79; A W. Bishop, 79, 77; J. Mcßeath, 77, 79; A McCall, 78, 78. Intermediate 158 — M. A Rogers, 77, 81. 159 — R. L. Kingston, 79, 80. 160 — T. J. Moloney, 80, 80; P. Blane, 78, 82. 161 — N. Singh, 82, 79; A Calder, 83, 78. 162 — P. Holden, 82, 80. 163 — A. J. Patterson. 82, 81. 164 — G. Mobbs, 79, 85. Junior 166 — C. Tewnion-Smith, 85, 81. .167 — C. Jones, 89, 78; R Motz, 85, 82. 172 — R. King, 85, 87. 174 — N. Facoory,' 86, 88; J. Veale, 87, 87.