Golf: Price spares a thought for Brad Heaven

By BOB PEARCE


New Zealand Open winner Terry Price admits that he wouldn't have been disappointed if Auckland amateur Bradley Heaven had beaten him for the title at The Grange yesterday.

The 43-year-old Queenslander, with a nine-under total of 271, won by one shot from the 23-year-old Heaven after the two had been locked in a tense struggle over the closing holes.

"It would have been a great event for Brad to win 50 years after Sir Bob Charles won as an amateur," Price said.

"Much as I wanted to win a New Zealand Open, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have been disappointed if he had birdied the last hole and gone on to win."

It wasn't to be, and Heaven had to be content with the Bledisloe Trophy for leading amateur, a trophy he first won as a 16-year-old, while Price accepted the winner's cheque of $126,000 from the sponsors, Holden.

Heaven paid tribute to his father, Darryl, who caddied for him throughout the 72 holes and added the necessary optimistic approach to his son's calm resolution.

"I can't help but feel a little bit disappointed," he said. "I gave myself such a good chance. That's what I did, but things didn't fall for me in the final stretch.

"I had such great visions of walking out of here with two trophies. At the same time I came here to win the Bledisloe Cup and I've done that and I'll have some fantastic memories to take away."

Heaven finished two shots clear of New Zealand professional David Smail and Australian Peter Senior.

In equal seventh place was another New Zealand pro, Richard Best, who rocketed into contention with a third-round 64 and was rewarded with a $22,000 cheque to supplement his club-making pay.

Price began the final day with a one-shot lead over Heaven and another Australian, Chris Downes, and in a roller-coaster ride through the gusting north-easterly wind, four players held the lead at various times.

Downes got to 10 under and a two-shot lead after birdies on the second and third holes, but disappeared after a triple-bogey six on the par-three 11th.

Best headed the leader-board briefly but slipped over the closing stages.

But it soon became clear that Price and Heaven were going to fight out the title after they completed an up-and-down first nine level at eight under.

Heaven birdied the 10th to take the lead and seemed to have consolidated his position when he negotiated the difficult 13th without dropping a shot.

But he three-putted the next two holes while Price birdied the 13th to take the one-shot advantage that prevailed at the end.

Both boldly took drivers to the par-four 16th. Heaven birdied from the fringe; Price made the green and two-putted for his birdie.

The tall amateur had to survive a pushed drive on the 17th to preserve his par with a good putt.

He needed birdie on the last to put pressure on Price, but his putt was short and the experienced Australian fashioned a couple of perfect shots to reach the green and win with a par.

It was Price's second victory on the course. He won the Air NZ-Shell Open here in 1993 and has nothing but praise for a layout which rewards shotmakers rather than pure length.

Heaven heads back to the United Sates and his final year at the University of Toledo today. New Zealand Golf should have already selected him for the Eisenhower world amateur team and he expects to play in the US and British Amateurs before turning professional.

Another New Zealand amateur, Bradley Iles, from Wellington, performed capably to finish 15th at one under.

The leaders

* 271: T. Price (Aus) 69 65 67 70.

* 272: B. Heaven (a, NZ) 64 66 72 70.

* 274: P. Senior (Aus) 67 72 70 65, D. Smail (NZ) 67 68 73 66.

* 275: D. Bransdon (Aus) 66 71 70 68, A. Buckle (Aus) 68 70 68 69.