Golf: NZ lose tight opening match

New Zealand ran Australia close before losing 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 on the first day of the Four Nations Cup golf tournament in Toronto yesterday.

The match was all square after the foursomes. Then New Zealand had wins by Glyn Delany and Gareth Paddison, but lost their other four matches.

The other team members - Sam Hunt, Eddie Lee, Tim Wilkinson and Ben Gallie - all took their opponents to the 17th hole.

Delany beat Luke Hickmott 1-up and Paddison scraped home by the same score over Marcus Fraser.

Hunt, making his New Zealand senior debut after winning the world schools title for the second consecutive year, earlier combined with Lee for a 4 and 3 win in the foursomes.

Wilkinson and Paddison lost on the final hole and Gallie and Delany halved their match.

The home team, Canada, made a strong start, beating Japan 8-1 in the other clash.

- NZPA