Golf: Jones rewarded for Balmacewen return

Jovial Australian Brian Jones returned to the Balmacewen golf course last week for the first time in 39 years and before a practice round, admitted he "couldn't remember a thing about the place".

But, he recalled enough to play mistake-free golf and late on Saturday afternoon he walked away with the $6000 winner's cheque in the inaugural $30,000 City of Dunedin Legends Pro-Am.

Jones finished three under par for the 36 holes on 139, sneaking in by one shot over fellow Australian David Good.

Third equal, on one-under 141, were New Zealanders Sir Bob Charles and Jim Lapsley, and Australian Garry Merrick, while overnight leader David Saunders had to share sixth place on 142 with fellow Aussie Rodger Davis.

It was a remarkable form reversal by the 58-year-old Jones, who had been out of sorts at the Handa NZ Senior Masters at Millbrook last week, finishing equal 53rd with rounds of 80, 75 and 84, results which saw him come to Dunedin "pretty low on confidence".

But two sub par rounds at Balmacewen, including Saturday's 69, gave a glimpse of his true ability which has seen him notch 22 professional wins in Japan, Europe and Australasia during a lengthy career.

"Yes, I haven't been playing well at all and I've been working on a few things with my game, but it's the first time this week I've felt really comfortable on the golf course," he said.

Sydney-born Jones, who lives on the Gold Coast, turned professional in 1971, the same year he came to the Otago Golf Club to contest the New Zealand Open, won by Peter Thomson.

Included in that field 39 years ago were David Good, Sir Bob and Walter Godfrey, who all played at Balmacewen at the weekend.

Jones became one of the top golfers Down Under in his prime, winning the 1984 New Zealand PGA Championship, the 1984 Air New Zealand Shell Open, three Indian Opens in the 1970s, and the 1978 Malaysian Open.

He then played on the Japan Tour from 1977 to 1993, winning 11 times (worth 469,505,78) before switching to the European Seniors Tour in 2001, winning the De Vere Hotels Senior Classic at Slaley Hall in 2002.

After three and a-half years on that tour, Jones decided he had "had enough", and briefly considered settling down, ending all the travelling involved in playing tournament golf.

But, instead, he decided to visit the many places he "hadn't been to in Australia, keep playing on the Legends Tour and to have a bit of fun".

Jones said he "didn't have a clue" he was a winning chance late on Saturday as the absence of progress leaderboards on course meant he had to wait in the clubhouse until overnight leaders Saunders and Charles completed their rounds.

"I didn't know how anyone else was going.

It wasn't until Dave Sanders walked in and said `Good work' to me that I knew I'd won," he said.

Jones, in his acceptance speech, thanked the Otago club and the people of Dunedin for putting on the $30,000 event, the first professional golf tournament in the city for six years.

"And I look forward to coming back next year and playing for $100,000," he joked.

Saturday's final round, played in perfect conditions, took a dramatic turn near the end of a long, hot day when Saunders tried to reach the 17th, a driveable short par 4.

He pulled his tee shot left into trouble, then hit a tree, ended up in a bunker and sank a good putt for a double bogey 6.

Then, on the last hole, his second shot "got a flyer", ended up on a downslope at the back of green and he took two putts to make a bogey 5, for a three over 74.

He looked understandably downcast back at the clubhouse and admitted to being "very gutted".

"I tried to push the envelope [on 17] and make birdie to give me a cushion but that'snot the way it worked out."

There was no fairytale finish for the large gallery which followed Sir Bob Charles throughout the day, hoping to see him achieve a remarkable win at age 73, and he was left ruing a new putter which ran cold, having decided to give his old faithful bullseye putter "a few days rest".

"I missed the shortest putt of my career today [an attempted tap-in on the 9th ]; it had to be less than a foot," he lamented after signing for a one over 72, having averted an even worse result with birdies at the "party hole" 15th, in front of a vocal crowd, and the 17th .

Other highlights during the final day were a tournament-best four under par 67 by Wanaka's Garth Domigan,who notched six birdies but double bogeyed the second, to finish in a tie for 8th on 143; a two under par 69 by the gifted Dunedin teenager Duncan Croudis, playing alongside Sir Bob ("it was awesome; a privilege to play with him"), and a credible 78 by 14-year-old Otago rep Laura Hoskins, the 3 handicapper birdieing the 16th.