Europe denied golf title again

Press, 19 December 1988, Page 27

Europe denied golf title again

NZPA-Reuter Kapalua, Hawaii The United States made Europe runner-up for the fourth straight year in the Kirin Cup team golf tournament when the Americans posted an 8-4 victory in the milliondollar event at Kapalua, Hawaii, yesterday. With the captain, Ben’ Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Joey Sindelar and Chip Beck scoring victories in head-to-head competition against the Europeans, the U.S. P.G.A. Tour team became champion again and took its third Cup title in four years. The European Tour team has now failed to win the Cup, in spite of four successive trips to the final. Each member of the United States team, which also included Mike Reid and Steve Pate, received SUS6O,OOO ($92,165). The Europeans each took away $53,763. "I couldn’t be prouder of our guys,” said Crenshaw, whose team shot a torrid 75 under par during the three 18-hole roundrobin matches that determined the finalists. The United States victory was closer than the score might indicate. Crenshaw’s victory over Gordon Brand, jun., came by a single stroke, 70-71. On the final hole, Brand’s bunker shot for birdie narrowly missed going in for a tie, worth one point. Earlier, Europe’s Ronan Rafferty had a one-shot lead after 15 holes but Sindelar made up two shots on the next hole and went on to win by 68-70. In the consolation match for third place, Australia-New Zealand defeated the Japan P.G.A. team by 8-4.