Mike Colandro shows early golf form

Press, 7 December 1988, Page 84

Mike Colandro shows early golf form

PA Auckland Mike Colandro yesterday began the big golf week at Titirangi the way he finished it last year — a winner.

The 35-year-old from Connecticut won the Air New Zealand-Shell Open last year by one shot from the Australian Rodger Davis.

Yesterday he took the A.S.B. Bank Shootout, the first money event of the week, from another Aus-

tralian, Mike Clayton. The tournament proper begins tomorrow. The shootout, with total prizemoney of $6OOO, involved 10 players starting at the first tee and dropping off the highest scorer at each hole. Only two played the ninth. Ties were decided by chip-offs, pitch-offs and bunker shots. Colandro could easily have been eliminated at the first. He was one of seven players who failed

to rtiake birdie and faced a chip-off. His chip was clearly the worst until Rodger Davis, needing sleep more than dollars, finished even farther from the pin and headed back to the clubhouse. Colandro later had few worries. At the second Ossie Moore, a former Australian amateur champion, lost a ball and dropped off. Vaughan Somers, of Queensland, sliced his tee shot on the third and was gone.

The only New Zealander in the field, Simon Owen, of Wanganui, departed $6OO richer after a one-over at the short seventh.

Then there were three — the twice United States Open champion, Hale Irwin, the tall Clayton and Colandro.

At the eighth all three were on for two, but Irwin three-putted. Colandro seemed to have a clear win bn the ninth when he

was two metres from the pin for two, while Clayton was in a bunker behind the green.

The Australian came out close to the pin, Colandro missed the putt and they were forced to a shootout pitching from 50 metres.

Colandro fired again to within six metres and Clayton could not better that, and had to settle for second prize of $9OO. Colandro won $l2OO.