Double on for Paterson

Press, 24 February 1988, Page 20

Double on for Paterson

BY

BOB SCHUMACHER

Winning the Canterbury and South Island 72-hole strokeplay championships in the same year is an extremely difficult double to achieve; Brent Paterson accomplished it two years ago and he has one leg in already this season. Unsure of how much time he will have for tournament golf this year, Paterson set the Canterbury strokeplay title as his early-season goal. That target was attained less than a fortnight ago, by the decisive margin of nine strokes, and this week-end at Cromwell, Paterson will attempt the second leg. The South Island title, won by Paterson for the last two years, will be a more daunting assignment for the Coringa golfer as the field of 96 includes four North Islanders who have had their expenses subsidised by the New Zealand Golf Association. Glen Goldfinch

(Grange), who was runner-up to Paterson in the championship at Greymouth last year, is a late withdrawal, but the present New Zealand amateur champion, Owen Kendall (Mount Maunganui) and the player he beat in the national final at Waitikiri last year, Geoff Stephens (Grange), are both entrants, as are the Northlanders, Kevin Billington and Saali Herewini. Billington, an immensely powerful lefthander, and Herewini, the schoolboy who put aside his School Certificate swot books last November to become the youngest player to represent Northland in the Government Life tournament, were home-town heroes at that tournament. Northland, normally among the also-rans, reached the semi-finals, Billington, the No. 1, winning five and halving two of his eight matches and

Herewini, the No. 4, losing only one of his eight. Billington was selected as the “player of the tournament.” Also on the, selectors’ short list is Mark Berthelsen (Greenacres). The chunky Tasman representative was another to impress at Mount Denby last year as his team progressed to the final of the Government Life tournament. Paterson, though, is likely to be the centre of attention for the Central Otago galleries. His tournament preparation this season has differed from other years but the results have been equally outstanding. He said that hee had spent only a third of the time he would normally put in on the practice fairways, but had compensated by playing two-thirds more of scoring rounds. ‘Tve held my rhythm since getting back from Bangkok last November

(where he represented New Zealand in the AsiaPacific teams’ championship and finished fifth in the Thailand Open) and I’ve worked on my turn to get it bigger and smoother.” As well he has adjusted his hand placement on the putter. Paterson, who burnt off all opposition except Goldfinch with his 277 score last year, and the North Island contingent will not have it all their own way on the testing Cromwell course which, at 6220 m, is longer than most Canterbury courses. Michael Atkinson (Southland) and the Otago pair, Kim McDonald and Steve Morshuis, have represented New Zealand as have Ross Murray (Timaru) and Elliot Boult (Marlborough). As well, the Canterbury juniors, Tony Christie, Lyndon Cron, Ken Collett and Karl Mariu could seriously threaten their more senior rivals.