Subscribe Twenty-four hours after helping South Africa to victory in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews Els
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Twenty-four hours after helping South Africa to victory in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews, Els was at Wentworth, running a kindergarten clinic. The average age of a golfer in Britain is 43, although Justin Rose went someway towards lowering that figure by his extraordinary exploits in the Open at Royal Birkdale in July. Rose, then an 18-year-old amateur, finished joint fourth, prompting parents throughout the land to thrust sawn-off clubs into tiny hands. "You're hitting it further than I did when I was your age," he told a junior chorus line of kids. TERRY TOOK out his new Titleist titanium driver and smacked the ball about 200 yards towards a target on the practice range It flew as straight as an arrow Ernie Els broke into applause "That's good," the South African said "Very good." Els was genuinely imp-ressed. Mike Bodnarchuk put the game beyond doubt 74 seconds from time.. Storm beat Italians Bolzano in the European Hockey League in midweek, but Kurt Kleinendorst's team were hit by a storm of their own as Newcastle netted four unanswered goals for their first Superleague victory of the season.Markers from Kris Miller and Rick Brebant appeared to have put league leaders Manchester in a commanding position at the start of the third period, but a double from Newcastle's Kevin Conway, the second on the power play, was immediately followed by a superb solo effort by Eric Royal. Earlier, Sal Manganaro and Hadden struck in the first period and Paul Adey added another as Panthers led 3-2.It was a case of after the Lord Mayor's show for Manchester Storm as they came crashing down to earth with a 4-2 defeat at Newcastle Riverkings.
Barry McKinlay claimed two and Chris Brant the other on 38:26, which led to Trevor Robins replacing Mike Zanier for Panthers at the interval.Hadden completed his hat-trick, forced over-time with the game-tying goal and then scored the winner. A former England international, Don Williams, scored Old Cranleighans' third. Blackheath had earlier taken a two-goal lead through Tony Mitchell and Peter MacNamara.In the Premier Holidays East Premier League, Colchester and Peterborough are both leading the way on maximum points. Colchester narrowly edged home 3-2 against as-yet pointless Clacton, whilst Peterborough overcame Blueharts, who were relegated from the National League at the end of last season, in a 2-1 victory.. GREG HADDEN plundered no fewer than five goals as Nottingham Panthers beat in-form Bracknell Bees 6-5 after over-time to remain unbeaten in the Sekonda Superleague.
The 27-year-old Canadian orchestrated a third-period revival before bagging the winner on 69:30 to sting the Bees, whose over-time point was enough to take them to the top of the table. Bracknell went into the final 20 minutes 5-3 up after taking the second period 3-0. After Stuart Avery had claimed his customary goal to give City the lead, Andy Wallace cashed in with a couple before Paul Hilton and Paul Cooper completed the scoring. A last-minute penalty stroke from David Knapp, his second goal of the game, gave Old Cranleighans their first points since promotion, with a 3-2 win at Blackheath. The Old Boys' goals came from Matt Puddephatt and Danny Byfield.City of Portsmouth, another former National League side, registered the day's best win in the South Premier League over their neighbours, Chichester, running out convincing 5-1 victors. Guildford's former striker, Jim Moseley, led the way for Fareham in their 4-2 away victory at Old Whitgiftians, with Tim Tavender, Steve Lemon and Brian Oliver completing the scoring. TO THE Investors Chronicle UK Stockbrokers Awards to hear an ebullient Sir John Harvey-Jones hand out the prizes And what an occasion.
Woods says his game is more consistent this year and he could have added to his two tournament wins but has lost one play-off and been a shot away from being in three others, including the Open at Birkdale. These facts also show that while the 22-year-old is still the man to beat, he is beatable.After this year's rain, the Old Course was far greener than when Woods first encountered the old lady as an amateur in 1995. The prevailing winds tend to be different than in the summer, as well as the temperature, so playing in this annual autumnal event does not replicate Open conditions exactly.But it was his performance in the Dunhill Cup in 1993 - in his two outings he has won eight of nine matches - that gave Daly the confidence he could win the 1995 Open. This simple thought perhaps retains his interest over 18 holes better than in the midst of a four-round tournament.By the time America were knocked out in the semi-finals by Spain, O'Meara and Tiger Woods appeared to be on a training exercise with the Millennium Open in mind. His one objective is to return a score one lower than his opponent.
St Andrews brings out the competitive instincts like nowhere else. Daly led off the top of the order in the USA's dream team and, ironically enough, was the only member of the side to remain unbeaten. Matchplay golf, albeit in the medal form employed by the Alfred Dunhill Cup, seems to suit Daly. They went unrebuked by the referee.The problems of referees are certainly increasing. In the recent game between Gloucester and Wasps, which Wasps won in extra time, the Gloucester supporters verbally assaulted Brian Campsall, the referee, for allowing too much time added on.The fans were right to complain, though they may have gone about it the wrong way. It would be a sensible start to transfer these decisions from the referee to an official in the stand, who, as in rugby league, would blow the hooter for full time..