Golf: Bad call wrecks team's chances

By BOB PEARCE in New Plymouth

A wrong management call and a matter of seconds dashed Auckland's hopes yesterday in the interprovincial championships at New Plymouth.

Heavy rain forced suspension of the only round of the day at 10.30 am. A decision was to be made at 1 pm about a resumption.

At that time, officials ruled that play would restart with the sounding of a siren at 1.30 pm. Players were to resume the positions they were in when rain forced the stoppage.

Unfortunately for Auckland, manager Terry Pulman had returned to the clubhouse on his own expecting a 2 pm start and had to frantically call the players back from their motel.

They ran to one of the farthest corners of the course, but only No 1 Logan Holzer beat the siren. The other four were each penalised a hole in their match with Canterbury.

The setback proved disastrous for Auckland. They slumped to a 4-1 defeat, with Holzer the only winner - over Eddie Lee.

Unluckiest was No 2 Franz Schwanner, who was two up on Anthony Doyle on the 11th fairway and poised to go three up. He was 50m away when the siren went, lost that hole, three-putted the next, lost his ball on the last, and lost two down.

"I have no excuses," Pulman said. "It was a wrong call on my part and it was my fault entirely."

Canterbury's No 3, Andrew Hobbs, after beating Clarke Osborne 3 and 2, said the game had been spoiled.

"Clarke and I are good friends and we've been looking forward to this game all year. I was one up at the break, but the penalty made it tough for Clarke in such difficult conditions."

With the last two rounds to be played today before the semifinals and final tomorrow, Waikato lead with 3 1/2 wins from Otago, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, North Harbour and Canterbury on three.

Hawkes Bay can only advance to four wins because they have a bye today.

It is likely that the semifinalists will be decided on the number of games won.

Waikato had a chance to put their semifinal place beyond doubt when they played Otago yesterday. The match was poised at 2-2 when Otago No 1 Ben Gallie won the last two holes to halve his game with Mathew Holten and the overall match.

Winners for Waikato were Evan Woolf and Mark Purser, who have won all their games so far.

* Women's Golf New Zealand is seeking a new executive director after the resignation yesterday of Janet McKay.

Chairwoman Sue Bunt said McKay's resignation, after two years in the role, had been reluctantly accepted. "But we have to accept that she wishes to pursue personal interests based in Auckland."