Golf: Experience against youth in matchplay

By BOB PEARCE and REUTERS

Onewhero golfer La Nahi, mother of three teenage boys, will take on 16-year-old Chanelle Baird in the semifinals of the Auckland provincial championships at Remuera this morning.

Nahi was the top qualifier by three shots after shooting an outstanding first round of par 73 and she continued that form in the matchplay with two comfortable wins.

She played No 4 for the Auckland team last year, but this year may find herself at No 1.

Baird, who qualified fifth, accounted for an Auckland representative, Jill Martin (Pukekohe), in the morning and Karen McNeill (Auckland) in the afternoon.

Looming on the other side of the draw is the very experienced Taumarunui golfer Sandra Carey, who qualified second and has had two easy wins.

This year she been named only as a reserve for the Waikato representative team and will be keen to show selectors her true form.

Three years ago she was runner-up in this event, losing to Angela Hawkes on the first extra hole of the final at Akarana.

This morning she plays the well-performed Jane Park (Titirangi), a strong contender for Auckland selection.

The team of five and a travelling reserve for the interprovincial tournament at St Clair, Dunedin, from October 10 will be named this evening.

In Springfield, Illinois, Laurel Kean, who left the LPGA Tour last year because golf was no fun any more, won the $US900,000 ($2.1 million) Rail Classic by six strokes.

She was the model of consistency, firing three rounds of 66 for a total of 18-under 198.

Second were fellow American Dina Ammaccapane and South Korean Kim Mi Hyun.

New Zealand's Marnie McGuire finished 14 strokes back on four-under 212.