Gilder breaks course record

Press, 13 August 1988, Page 80

Gilder breaks course record

NZPA-Reuter Edmond Oklahoma

The American Bob Gilder, who opened with a course record 66, held a one-stroke lead over four other players after the opening round of the American P.G.A. championship yesterday. Gilder, who races sports cars for a hobby, toured the 7015-yard Oak Tree Golf Club course in five under par, knocking two shots off the 11-year-old course’s competitive record. He was one stroke ahead of Nick Faldo, of Britain and fel-low-Americans, Paul Azinger, John Cook and Chip Beck. The Australian Greg Norman, playing his first tournament since his wrist injury in the U.S. Open in June, and the two-time P.G.A. champion, Raymond Floyd, were among seven players another shot behind.

“I look forward to golf courses that are difficult. I enjoy a tough test,” the 37-year-old Gilder said after taming one of the toughest courses in the States, a water-filled layout designed by Pete Dye. © The New Zealander Frank Nobilo, “fired” by his caddie last week for playing golf badly, shot seven birdies and an eagle to set a Flommens course record 63 in yesterday’s first round of the P.L.M. Open in Falsterbo, Sweden.

He led by a stroke from the American Peter Persons with Canada’s Jerry Anderson and the Australian, Peter Fowler, on 65. The defending champion, Howard Clark, of Britain, went round in 68 after playing one recovery from a Baltic Sea inlet.

Nobilo, who has a best tour finish of fifteenth this year, holed from 6 metres at the first and was within a half metre of an ace at the short second.

“I seem to have got left behind as other guys from the Australian tour have done well here this year,” he said. “My Aussie caddie got so fed up with the way I was playing he gave me the sack last week. But today I putted really well.”