IRISH PLAYER SETS COURSE RECORD IN BRITISH OPEN

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27395, 7 July 1954, Page 10

IRISH PLAYER SETS COURSE RECORD IN BRITISH OPEN

GOLF

LONDON, July 5. An “unknown” Irishman, a 29-year-•ld professional, John McGonigle, from County Sligo, broke the course record at the Hillside course with an almost perfect 65 when the British open golf championship began on the Royal Birkdale and Hillside courses, Lancashire. McGonigle, chipping and putting with deadly acciy-acy, had nine single putts, and the only time his ball finished in a bunker he exploded to within eight feet of the hole to sink the ball for a par 4.

The powerfully-built McGonigle was four under fours after 11 holes. He chipped dead at the 480 yd twelfth for a 4 and then sank a 9ft putt for a birdie 3 at the fifteenth.

Although landing in the rough from his drive at the last hole, McGonigle hit a glorious recovery, 12 yards from the flag, and then sank the putt for a birdie 3 and a wonderful inward half of 32.

The Australian professional, Norman von Nida, led the field with a 70 on the difficult Birkdale course. His •core equalled the 19-year-old course record.

Von Nida appeared likely to set a record until he clashed with a movie cameraman at the sixteenth hole. As von Nida was addressing the ball, the whirring of the camera motor distracted him. He walked away and glared at the cameraman. Then, as von Nida

•tarted to stroke the ball a second time, the camera again started to whirr and the ball missed the hole.

Von Nida claimed that the cameraman had broken his concentration and cost him the only 5 on his card coming home.

The Australian professional, Peter Thomson, who has twice won the New Zealand open title, was patchy at times, and returned 74. The Scotsman, John Panton, scored 68 at Hillside. Silk Best of N.Z. Players Bryan Silk was the most successful of the New Zealand contingent of six with a steady round of 74 over the Hillside course. He was out in 36 and came home in 38.

After a perfect start of three fours he dropped a stroke at the 450 yd fourth, where he took a five and another at the short fifth, where a crosswind took the ball off line. He played steadily until the sixteenth (379yds) where he was in the rough and took

another five. His 74 should leave him little difficulty in qualifying although he faces the more testing Birkdale course tomorrow.

Stuart Jones is the only member of the six who seriously endangered his chances of qualifying for the championship proper. He had a disastrous 81 at Birkdale—4l and 40. He will need a supreme effort on Hillside to redeem himself. This long game was far too ragged in the high wind, and frequently he had to recover from the trouble that resulted.

Tony Gibbs's 77 at the 400 yards longer Birkdale course, by comparison, was a better effort He was out in 38, dropping shots at the second, where he took five, and the short fourth, where he missed the green. From the third to the fifteenth inclusive he was only one over fours, but at the 520 yards sixteenth he took a six and came home in 39.

Tim Woon, the New Zealand champion, had the unhappy experience of taking eight at the fourth on the Hillside course and ended up with a score of 77. He hit two balls out of bounds at the fourth and had to struggle out in 41. At no time was he really at ease on the greens, and he missed several short putts. Another to finish in 77 at Hillside was Ron Timms, who was going really well for 14 holes. At this point he was two over fours. He then went to pieces

and took fives at the fifteenth (364 yards) and the sixteenth (379 yards) followed by a four at the short seventeenth, where he missed the green, and five at thfe home hole (378 yards). Tom Jeffery returned a 78 at Hillside, a commendable effort considering that he scored three sixes in the first eight holes. He was out in 41 and came back well in 37.

74-year-old Competitor The oldest competitor in the open today was 74-year-old William Anconeus Dell, who, after 20 years’ absence, turned out to celebrate his diamond jubilee as a golf professional. He carried the old leather bag he last used in the 1933 open and only seven —including a hickory-shafted niblick he made himself in 1906. Dell is still able to take 36 holes of golf a day in his stride, and he also works as a boatman on the River Wharfe at Ilkley, Yorkshire. “I want shooting,” said Dell after an 89. “Serves me right,” he thundered to a sympathetic crowd round the eighteenth hole. Dell professed that he had not touched a club since he last played golf nine years ago. The sun dried out the’ two courses after the soaking they received yesterday. The greens played true, but the gusty wind troubled many players. Less than one-third of the field of more than 300 can survive the qualifying rounds being played today and tomorrow. The 100 leaders will then scrap their scores and start the 72-hole championship proper over the Birkdale course.

After the two championship rounds a maximum of 50 will go forward to fight out the final 36 holes on Friday.

Hillside Course.—J. McGonigle 65, J. Panton 68, A. Lock (South Africa) 69, F. Stranahan (United, States) 69, T. Travenna (South Africa) 70, C. Ward 71, J. Jacobs 71, H. Bosward 71, R. Mandeville 71, G. Wolstenholm 72, P. Toogood (Australia) 72, T. Spence 72, J. Bosson 72, A. Cerda (Argentine) 72. L. Topping 72, N. Drew 73, J. Adams 73, A. Watrious (United States) 73, J. Demare (United States) 73, P. Coombs 73, B. Stockdale 73, E. Large 73, H. Cotton 74, W. Shanks 74, J. Ado (France) 74, J. Garaialde (France) 74, B. Silk (New Zealand) 74, G. De Wit (Holland) 75, M. Faulkner 75, J. Coogan (Australia) 76, D. Woon (New Zealand) 77, A. Timms (New Zealand) 77, E. Dalton (South Africa) 77, L. Woodward (Australia) 77, T. Jeffery (New Zealand) 78. G. Sarazen (United States) 67. H. Bradshaw 67, K. Dodsworth 71, R. Garner 72, R. French 72, W. Lees 73. A. Harman 73, W. Hancock 74, A. Watters ,74, E. Ward 74, C. Kane 74. Birkdale Course.—N. von Nida (Australia) 70, P. Alliss 72, J. Rudd 72, T. Harrison 72. J. Burton 72, R. Mills 72, U. Grappasoni (Italy) 72, N. Brews (South Africa) 72, D. Bachli (Australia) 72, C.l O’Connor 73, F. Bullock 73, P. Thomson 74, H. Weetman 74, W. Shephard (Australia) 75. P. Heard (Australia) 75, R. Stevens (Australia) 75, W. Shankland 75, F. Jowle 75. T. Haliburton 76, J. Turnesa (United States) 76, G. Packer (South Africa) 76, H. Hasstmein (Egypt) 77, S. Jones (New Zealand) 81, H. Berwick (Australia) 81, D. Rees 73, E. Whitcombe 74, H. Thomson 74, C. Dennu 74, D. O’Brien 74, A. Poulton 74, N. Sutton 74, J. Gledhill 74, S. Scott 75. B. Kelly 75, L. Ayton 75, A. Padgham 75, B. Beard 75, F. van Donck (Belgium) 75, T. Fairbairn 75, A. Gibbs (New Zealand) 77.

SCARGILL LADIES’ TOURNAMENT Following is the draw for Friday, July 8.30 a.m.: Leach, Mrs Gallagher, Mrs Hooper, Mrs Wright. 8.35: Mrs McNaughton, Mrs Christopher, Mrs Whitham, Dr. Wood. 8.40: Mrs Bosom worth, Mrs Parsonson, Mrs Johns, Mrs Cranston. 8.45: Mrs Tomlinson, Miss McAdam, Mrs H. Croft, Mrs Scott. 8.50: Miss Nutt, Miss Murray, Mrs Ensor, Miss Dalzell. 8.55: Mrs Bowron, Mrs Bethell, Mrs Moir, Mrs Curry. 8 a.m.: Mrs McCallum, Mrs Maxwell, Mrs Symonds, Mrs Denton. 9.5: Mrs A. Gardner, Miss McMillan, Mrs White, Mrs Harris. 9.10: Mrs J. Gardner, Mrs Sheridan, Mrs Baker, Mrs Webb. 9.15: Mrs Coe, Mrs Russell, Mrs Nicholas, Mrs Annear. 9.20: Mrs Leggett, Mrs Prebble. Mrs Duckmanton. 9.25: Mrs A. Croft. Mrs Hameiss. —Advt.