Golf: Turner tips Dunhill conquest

Greg Turner is predicting New Zealand golf glory when the Kiwis contest next month's Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews, Scotland.

Turner will be making his 10th appearance for New Zealand in the 16-nation teams event at the home of golf.

He is joined in the three-man team by the in-form pair of Michael Campbell and Grant Waite.

For Campbell, who was second last week for a third time on this year's European Tour, it will only be his second Dunhill Cup appearance.

His first was in 1995, the year he finished third in the British Open.

Waite comes into the side after two straight runner-up placings on the United States Tour, including a No 2 finish to Tiger Woods in the Canadian Open.

"Two or three months ago, it wasn't looking all that rosy for Waite," Turner said yesterday, "but he has had a tremendous run of results.

"I remember the last time New Zealand got into the final of the Dunhill Cup because we had Grant in the team.

"He probably has played the best of all us this month and he probably knows the St Andrews course well and would have fond memories of it.

"Most people who are familiar with his game would have found it hard to fathom that he didn't have his US Tour card in the first place," Turner said.

Campbell, who won four events over the last Australasian Tour season, collected his third second-place finish in 10 tournaments when he was runner-up in last week's Lancome Trophy.

"Michael has been playing solidly for the best part of the past 18 months to two years," Turner said. "On their day both he and Grant can beat anybody in the world."

Turner, ranked 91 in the world, has not had the best of seasons in Europe, slipping to 98th on the money list.

He said that unless he could qualify for the world championship in Spain in mid-October, he would soon return home to New Zealand.

"I have been pretty happy with the way my game has progressed over the past couple of months, without quite having the results I would have liked."

Turner said that in contrast to past years, he would compete more on the Australasian Tour before Christmas.

"I will play the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand early November, then the Australian Open in Melbourne, followed by the Australian PGA starting on November 30," he said.

He would also represent NZ, with Campbell, in the World Cup in Argentina from December 7 to 10.

- NZPA