Off the tee: Swing out sister

Big-hitting Englishwoman Laura Davies will become the latest woman to take on the men when she competes at the ANZ Championship near Newcastle in New South Wales next week.

But contrary to pre-event publicity in Australia, she will not be the first woman to play in a European or Australasian professional tour event.

In 1980, Auckland professional Gillian Bannan qualified for the New Zealand PGA tournament at Tauranga. What's more, she made the cut in the tournament, which was won by Bob Charles.

Bannan recalled this week that she also qualified for and played in an Air NZ-Shell Open at Titirangi, in which Arnold Palmer also played. She failed to make the cut.

"I remember they asked Arnold Palmer whether he objected to playing against a woman and he said that as long as I'd qualified he was quite happy about it," said Bannan.

There was some opposition to women competing in men's tournaments at that time. In Australia, Ted Ball, one of the great characters of Australasian golf with his lightning swing and ever-present cigarette, made a stand against women playing in the Victorian PGA tournament.

Davies, who played in last year's Korean Open and failed to make the cut, will play by special invitation at Newcastle in the same way as Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie have competed in United States men's events. "This is a new challenge for me and something I think I will absolutely enjoy," Davies said.

"With the modified stableford format used at the ANZ Championship I think I will have a lot of fun."

The 40-year-old former world number one has previously played a women's tournament at the Horizons course where the ANZ Championship will be played from February 12.

She will join 13 winners from last year's European tour in the field, as well as major champions Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam, Paul Lawrie and Wayne Grady.

Richard Ellis, president of the New Zealand PGA, said women members of his organisation could attempt to qualify for the revived NZPGA tournament in Christchurch at the end of the month. Several had already competed in pro-ams.

Bannan, who lives at Blockhouse Bay, is best known as a teacher of young players. She was a pioneer in establishing coaching in schools and instruction for young children at the Chamberlain Park course in Auckland.

* * *

When Greg Turner decided to retire from competition at the end of last year his Kiwi caddie, Jason Jacobs, could have been left in the lurch.

But Turner recommended Jacobs to Australian Terry Price and the change of partner reaped quick rewards with victory in the New Zealand Open at The Grange.

Price collected $126,000 for his win. Jacobs is believed to have received $17,000 of that.

* * *

Teams of four men from 16 clubs will compete over 36 holes in the Auckland final of the Montana Interclub Challenge at Waiuku today.

The national final will be at the Waitikiri Club in Christchurch on May 1. The Grange Club were the Auckland finalists last year.

The national title is held by the Springfield Club from Rotorua, whose team for the final at Pakuranga last year was Mark Smith, Terry Hong, Jae An and Craig van der Nagel.