Even field for golf open

Press, 21 October 1989, Page 29

Even field for golf open

The cream of Canterbury’s golfing talent is missing from the Russley 36-hole open tournament tomorrow as is the defending champion from Aorangi, Kevin Frazier, but a useful and even field has been assembled.

Among the favourites are Aorangi’s captain, Robbie Bell, a regular and consistent competitor in the Steinlagersponsored event. Bell was runner-up to Mark Street four years ago, was equal fifth in 1986 and shared that placing with lan Donaldson, of Greymouth, last year. Donaldson, a former Tasman representative at the New Zealand teams’ championship, is among the entrants again and will be playing in company of Bell, Russley’s youthful Nigel Slater and a Canterbury representative, Ken Collett, of Christchurch, complete a formidable four. The in-form Karl Mariu is high on the list of fancies. The Canterbury under 21

champion was the only player from the province to win both matches against Aorangi opponents last Sunday and only a mental aberration denied him the Rangiora open.

Neville Brightwell, winner of this year’s McLeans Island open, Harley Henderson, one of the most successful players in this season’s Woodward Cup competition, Hugh McLeod and Warwick Sherwood are “outsiders” who could prevent victory by a home-club player. Slater and Gary Taylor are Russley juniors with strong claims, while the prospects of two veterans of the club, Bob Bradley and Neville Griffiths, cannot be discounted. Apart from Bell and Donaldson,. the challenge from outside Christchurch is boosted by the presence of a former Canterbury player from the Waitikiri club, John McCormick, down from the North Island, and Jeff Domigan, from Aorangi.