The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 37

iii The Sydney Morning Herald SPORT Monday, February 7, 1 994 37 IN BRIEF NS Qfoivas grab Open to join greats 'W 'V o. SV tt -US-''' round, gets focused about "v--- cSL.lo- Tjifcl lHWIIIIll III III HUM 1ITI Tllllf1lllHl r.i.. Holding his nerve Darren Chivas, on his way to a two-under-par 70 in the final Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus on on the list of title-holders. winning the NSW Open at Manly Golf Club yesterday, joining illustrious names like Picture $nvg chmto A leader by one and he's hoping it's third GOLF JOHN MACDONALD Darren Chivas made an improbable trek from nowhere to win the NSW Open at Manly Golf Club yesterday but now must travel on to limbo. His last-round 70 earned him $9,000 and a 72-hole score of 283 five under par and a one-stroke win over David Ecob.

Chivas joined the great names like Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus as a winner of one of Australia's most time-honoured tournaments even if it has fallen on hard times. The Open isn't an instant invitation to money and the big-time, however. "I've still got to play the pro-ams," Chivas said. I didn't get a ticket." Chivas failed by two strokes to qualify for the Australasian Order of Merit Tour at the qualifying school at Spring Valley last month. This means he is ranked outside Australasia's top-200 players.

The 27-year-old from Toukley must rely on sponsors' invitations to escape the pro-am circuit he has inhabited for much of the past six years. Chivas held his nerve yesterday to explode 30m from a right-side bunker on the 171m The Manly course, aided by the wind, was the real winner. The Open featured one innovation other tournaments might consider. That was the mentioned absence of leaderboards accompanying the leading groups. If there was any tension and drama lacking, that absence provided it No-one, including the paying spectators or players, knew what was going on.

Final scores (players NSW unless stated; a denotes amateur): 283: Darren Chivas 73 71 69 70: 284: David Ecob 75 71 68 70; 286: Michael Campbell (NZ) 70 72 70 74. Russell Swanson 75 71 67 73: 287: David McKenzie (Vic) 74 70 73 70; 288: lain Pyman (GB a) 72 71 74 71: 289: Grant Kenny 67 73 72 77. Greg Hohnen 71 74 74 70. Steve Conran 74 71 72 72; 290: Daniel Motusenko 71 71 72 76. Dean Wilson (US) 75 76 65 74.

George Serhan 77 67 75 71. Mike Weir (Canada) 76 72 74 68: 291: Andre Stolz (Qld) 71 74 73 73. Craig Cork 75 75 67 74. Khan Puilen 74 75 66 76. Gavin Coles 75 70 72 74.

Jeff Wagner 74697771. Michael Miller (a) 74 70 73 74. Paul Gow 68 77 72 74. Ricky Schmidt 73 75 70 73. Robert Willis 70 76 7 1 74.

Todd Ostler (a) 75 72 74 70: 292: Anthony Summers 73 73 72 74. Darren Cole (Vic) 73 75 72 72. Neale Smith 73 72 76 71. Tim Herron (US) 69 74 73 76; 293: Bryce MacDonald (a) 72 75 74 72. Danny Vera (a) 7 1 69 75 78.

Peter Jones 73 72 70 78. Len Wade 76 70 76 71. Noel Ratcliffe 70 74 75 74; 294: Chris Campbell (ACT a) 70 75 75 74. David Hill (Vic) 74 75 71 74. David Snelling 74 74 74 72.

Lucas Parsons 74 76 71 73. Mark Bryant 76 71 73 74. Scott Gardiner (a) 72 75 75 72. tour in 1988 one year after beating Payne Stewart to win this tournament. Since then he has concentrated on raising his family, designing golf courses and working as a television commentator.

"I always played to win, never for the money," Miller said. "When I stopped putting well enough to win, I felt a bit like a prostitute, playing golf just for the money." The only tournament he enters now is this one. "There is something about Pebble that makes me play young," the 46-year-old said. "I hit the ball just like I did in "I always felt I had some ability. My thoughts were to keep playing." Chivas played good and did fine on the front nine yesterday and that's where he won.

He putted in from off the edge for a birdie on the third, had two putts for a birdie on the par-five fifth, sunk a 2m birdie putt on the eighth, and had two putts for a birdie on the par-five ninth to be out in 33. Under pressure he had never felt in a pro-am, Chivas bogeyed 10, 13 and 16, but retained the YACHTING Brown's 12th title Veteran Rob Brown at the helm of Prudential won yesterday's seventh and hnal heat of the Australian 18ft skiff championship. It was his 12th title. Scott Ramsden's AAMI led the fleet round the rst two marks but fell back to Ella Bache which was overtaken by Brown. Third was Lucozade.

PACING Hilarion Star fails Inter-Dominion second favour ite Hilarion Star is almost certain to miss the rich series. adding to the growing list of Australasia leading pacers who will not be running or are in doubt for the Sydney champion ships. Hilarion Star has been booked on a flight to Perth tomorrow after the five-year-old was an abject failure in the Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley on Saturday night. MOTOR RACING Brabham retires MIAMI, Sunday: Engine failure forced Australia's Geoff Brabham to retire today from the Daytona 24-hour sports car endurance motor race. Brab ham, the 1993 Le Mans 24-hour champion and British teammate Derek Bell and Andy Wallace went out after almost nine hours of racing in a Spice Chevrolet V8.

Brabham began the race from ninth position on the grid and had raced up to fourth place during the opening hour before he collided with another car in an overtaking move. MOTOR CYCLING Doohan on track Australian motorcyclist Michael Doohan has made an impressive return to the track just weeks after the removal of a surgical frame from his legs. Doohan, 28, and his Honda team have just completed three days of extensive testing at Sydney's Eastern Creek raceway after undertaking an initial 1994 shakedown test on Victoria's Phillip Island circuit the week prior to that. Phillip Island was the first occasion since the US grand prix on September 1 2 last year that he had been back aboard his bike but Doohan looks good. SKIING Maier foundation VIENNA, Sunday: Alpine ski ing officials yesterday announced the creation of a foundation in memory of Ulrike Maier, who died in a World Cup race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen a week ago.

The International Ski Federation and the Associa tion of Ski Journalists created the foundation. Maier was a slalom world champion in 1989 and 1991. CYCLING Moser fails bid MEXICO CITY, Sunday: Ital ian Franceso Moser failed again yesterday in his attempt to break the one-hour world cycling record. Moser, 42, called off his second attempt of the day at the record after 28 minutes 34 seconds, having completed 74 laps of the Mexico City Velod-romo. He appeared to be running behind the pace needed to break the record of 52.270 kms set last July by Briton Chris Boardman.

BOXING Boos for Eubank BERLIN, Sunday: Britain's Chris Eubank retained his World Boxing Organisation super-middleweight title here ast night when he scored a unanimous iz-round points decision over Germany's Graci-ano Rocky Rocchigiani. But he was booed out of the ring for hanging on, dangerous use of the head, and some controversial ow blows that he threw late in the fight. Guineas and trainer Robert Smerdon has offered the Let's Cut Loose ride to premier Melbourne jockey, Damien Oliver. Smerdon said yesterday that Let's Cut Loose would remain in Melbourne for the Autumn Classic and Alister Clark Stakes, before heading to Sydney for the $1 million AJC Derby, at Randwick on April 2. Smerdon also had the misfortune last week of having to spell his Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper contender, Masterpiece, after the colt struck himself during trackwork.

Masterpiece showed his promise with his debut second to the Freedman-trained Gold Command at Caulfield on January 15, while Gold Command in turn confirmed his form with a solid effort behind the David Hayes-trained Mr Vitality at Flemington on Saturday. Hayes said the $25,000 late entry fee for the Blue Diamond would be paid for Mr Vitality and the colt would have a final lead-up in the $40,000 Criterion Quality at Flemington on February 19. Champion jockey Mick Dirt-man, who rode a winning treble at Flemington, was impressed with Mr Vitality but wasn't about to prefer him to Marwina, which runs in Thursday's $100,000 Carlton Supper, at Gosford. in Uli IpJ the pace, with Steve Rintoul a further five shots adrift. Hart, 25, will be entering the final round of a PGA Tour event with the lead for the third time in his four-year career.

This time he believes he can control his game, even against such big-name challengers and get his first win. "You need to be in this situation a few times, but I think I've learned to cope," Hart said. "I won't guarantee that I'll win, but I will guarantee that I'll be in control of my game." With his legs aching and his putting nerves shot, Miller quit the dropped. It would be nice to say this was a Chivas regal performance, but it was grim rather than top-shelf golf. For Chivas, it wasnt small beer, though.

This might be just the tonic he needs, and the French champagne came out after the win. Enough. By his own admission, Chivas hasn't always had the attitude or the discipline needed for a circuit golfer. "Too many pro-ams and too much fun," Chivas said. "There's always time for fun.

throughout theirduration in the playoffs, beginning this Friday. The Blues will host a best-of-three playoff at Parramatta Stadium against Adelaide, and should they overcome that series, they will again have the decided advantage of hosting the championship playoff the following week. Adelaide, who Sydney swept 4-0 last month, crept into the top four late last night when Perth won both games against Melbourne. The Monarchs, the reigning THE Heavyweight was just another gelding listed incorrectly in the racebook on Saturday. Formerly of Melbourne, The Heavyweight is now a gelding but in the book for Saturday's Royal Sovereign at Randwick was a for colt.

Just about every week there is at least one mistake in this area and surely it's not asking too much to get it right Thus the AJC is now working on a plan that, when a vet gelds a horse, he fills out a form to this effect and passes it on to the club. Currently, trainers are responsible, but the system just doesn't work. EVERYBODY should realise Melbourne is in the business of expanding autumn racing and overshadowing Sydney. There was yet another example of this at Randwick on Saturday when James EarL the assistant VRC racing manager, was on hand trying to lure our two-year-olds south for the $300,000 Sires Produce at Flemington. Earl pointed out that the Sires has had only eight-horse fields in recent years and is an event worthy of more.

But the exercise is just another time lucky 1 Johnny Miller trailing by one going into last round. and like a dart and only needed to improve an ordinary short game. He didn't. Campbell almost drove the 12th hole but took three to get down and crashed when he sliced his drive on the 15th into a dry creek bed, took a double bogey and relinquished the lead. Another bogey on the par-five 16th and he was gone.

Kenny, who had led for the first three days, also crashed with a 77 and was no chance after he drove his ball right into the trees and took double-bogey on the 12th. thing we have to beat them all." The Blues did not come through the Canberra series without their moments of concern. After losing the opening game, they needed to, and yet again were able to, claw their way back to win the next three games, and 3-2. Ault revealed that Blue Jays starting pitcher Andy Dolson will not be available for the team, should they qualify for the championship playoff. Dolson will be returning to the RACETALK MARTIN TALTY Valley before returning to her own sex at Flemington on Saturday.

A bad start and the filly wanting to over-race in the middle stages were the main reasons for her downfall, Sadler said. "It was disappointing to have her beaten but she did have excuses," he said. "It is possible that she may just be a sprinter and that is the way we will go." Ironically, Balm In Gilead, which provided the upset defeat, will take on Mahogany in the $352,000 Cadbury Australian Guineas, at Flemington on February 19. Trainer Gerald Ryan said there was a lack of suitable events for fillies over that weekend and Balm In Gilead needed her races spaced a fortnight apart to continue on a path leading to the AJC Oaks on April 9. But while Sadler prefers another clash with Ilareeba rather than Mahogany, he has found himself in an awkward situation with another of his stable, the smart sprinter Ken-vain, which returns to Melbourne later this week.

Kenvain, an impressive last- SAN FRANCISCO, Sunday: Young American Dudley Hart shot a solid two-under-par 70 at Spyglass Hill yesterday to take a one-shot lead over Johnny Miller into today's final round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Miller, a former US and British Open champion who retired from full-time competition five years ago, shot a 67 at Pebble Beach yesterday. Tom Watson, also playing Spyglass Hill, was alone in third place at eight-under par after a 72. The best of the Australians was Jeff Woodland, nine strokes off par-three 18th, then holed a 1.2m putt for par. Seconds earlier, Ecob had sunk an 8m downhill birdie putt from the back of the green.

"I didn't have a clue," Chivas said. "I didn't realise the putt was for the Open. I hadn't heard a score all day. (This was easy through the absence of leader-boards.) "I said to David Ecob in the scorers tent: 'What did you shoot? He said: 'I shot 70'. That's when the penny dropped that it was the Open putt that had BASEBALL MICHAEL COWLEY that was achieved, as the Monarchs, themselves fighting to stay in playoff contention, blitzed Perth 13-3 in the opening game, then scored a 6-3 victory in the second, paving the way for the Blues to become the ABL's regular season champions.

Finishing on top guarantees Sydney home field advantage the whenever I'm here." Miller started the week well with a 68 at Spyglass Hill, playing the last eight holes one-under par, despite a string of eight straight birdie attempts no longer than six feet. "On those eight holes I was hitting it better than I ever have in my life, but I was choking over those putts because I was already three-under and my goal for the day was to shoot 68," he said. Reflecting on his position going into the final day, Miller said: "I didn't come here to win, I came here to have fun, and frankly, I'm not sure I like this." lead with a 9m birdie putt on the par-four 17th before his fine recovery on the last Ecob played as well as anyone but couldn't buy a putt, and a bogey on the 16th kept him two strokes adrift of Chivas. Gifted New Zealander Michael Campbell started the day equal leader with Grant Kenny and an odds-on favourite. Although two shots behind Chivas after nine holes yesterday, Campbell was still the likeliest winner.

He was driving the ball long Doug Ault said. "I firmly believe that this team is capable of beating any other team, anywhere in the country. The best thing about having the playoff series at home is that we can reward our fans that have stuck by us all year. "Being able to host the playoffs in front of them is our way of thanking them for their support, support which I know will be bigger and stronger throughout the finals series. "As for who we play I don't really care.

To win the whole And the winner is Sydney! (for minors 9 anyway) Finally, after weeks of countless calculations, speculation, numerous tight games, and anxiously watching other results in the league, the Sydney Blues have claimed top spot on the Australian Baseball League ladder. After winning three of four games against Canberra at Bruce Stadium over the weekend, the Blues needed to rely on their bitter rivals, the Melbourne Monarchs, taking at least two games from Perth, to snare the No 1 position. On Saturday evening in Perth, utterfly's plight highlights how Sadler concedes Guineas to Mahogany bag prominent punters United States next week to get married, and his departure is certain to prompt Ault to limit Dolson's use to relief pitching in the opening playoff series. The Blues will still have plenty of strength on the mound with Brad Cornett, who registered an ABL-leading 10th win in Canberra, and the in-form Kristian Feledyk (seven wins) starting the opening two games. Should the series go to a decider, talented youngster Craig Cusbert will pitch for the Blues.

start winner of the R. N. Irwin Stakes in Adelaide, will run in the United Racecourses Stakes, at Sandown on Saturday before clashing with his stable-mate in the Oakleigh Plate. "I'm never happy having two horses race against each other but unfortunately the circumstances are there for it to happen," Sadler said. But Saturday wasn't all bad for Sadler, the trainer receiving some compensation later in the program when his promising three-year-old Vamos overcame difficulties to score an impressive win in the Schweppes Handicap, Vamos, a half brother to last year's Newmarket Handicap' placegetter Keda, will have a two-week break before being prepared for the $201,000 Malaysia Airlines South Australia Derby, at Morphetrville on May 7.

Mahogany took an iron grip on the Australian Guineas with his win in the Vanuatu Stakes and Freedman sent out a sobering warning to any rivals who believed the three-year-old was still a fair way from peak fitness. Let's Cut Loose was considered unlucky not to have beaten Mahogany but will meet that horse on worse terms when they return to the set weights of the Guineas. Steven King has chosen Voting as his mount in the Australian champions, needed to win one of the two games to make the playoffs, but lost both, 7-6 in the first, then 5-4 in the second. The other playoff will be in Perth between Perth and Brisbane. The benefit of playing at Parramatta is evident from the Blues' home record.

Since moving from Auburn's Oriole Stadium in 1992, Sydney have not lost a series at the new ground. "Finishing on top of the league is a tremendous boost for us going into the playoffs," Blues manager SftJf "HsirriuMMtf it John Mort Green was cut down unmercifully. example of how Melbourne strives to build up weak areas. THERE WILL be a second coming of Flight One of the great mares in Australian racing history. Flight, has a namesake in New Zealand.

She is owned by Greg Lee, brother of the Sydney trainer Jim. Greg intends to import Flight to Sydney, but this will mean a name change. "What will we call her?" Lee asked at Randwick on Saturday. "Our Flight is gone." Try Kiwi Flight bookies Even though John Moit Green, otherwise known as "The won enough off Sydney bookmakers at Randwick on Saturday to stake him on his coming QE2 voyage, he was still unimpressed by the bagmen's courage. "Most cut me down unmercifully," said Green, who punts out of Brisbane.

Green has pledged support to get Robbie Waterhouse back on the track. Waterhouse is currently warned off for having prior knowledge of the Fine Cotton caper. The Butterfly was also mentioned in Fine Cotton despatches and did 10 outraged months on the outer for which he has never forgiven the Queensland Turf Club. The Butterfly was so confident about the Fine Cotton caper that he backed the horse personally on the place tote. The link he had to the betting ring in Sydney on that fateful Saturday morning actually had Fine Cotton money refunded by Sydney bookmakers.

Now deceased, the linkman was a well-known punter whom Flemington trainer John Sadler yesterday altered the campaign plans of Lady Jakeo to focus on Melbourne's premier autumn sprints, opting to concede the Australian Guineas to the Lee Freed man-trained Mahogany. Following the defeat of Lady Jakeo, odds-on in The Vanity at Flemington on Saturday, and the bleeding attack suffered by Jakpil in the Chester Manifold Stakes later in the day, Sadler must have felt jinxed by the meeting. In 1992, Sadler's Jolly Old Mac was beaten by Coolong Road as a 1-2 favourite in The Debonair, now the Vanuatu Stakes, but two weeks later the colt came out and defeated the Freedman-trained Naturalism in the Australian Guineas. But after watching the performance of Mahogany and following talks with the filly's owner, Ron Cook, Lady Jakeo will now be returned to sprint events, starting with the $201,000 Oak-leigh Plate, at Caulfield on February 26 before the $251,000 Futurity Stakes, at the same course on March 5 and the $501,000 Newmarket Handicap, at Flemington a week later. Two starts back.

Lady Jakeo was at her brilliant best when she defeated the boom sprinter Har-eeba, Primacy and Schillaci in the Australian Made Stakes at Moonee MAX PRESNELL bookmakers obviously didn't want to lose. The Butterfly was barred from his workplace and lost the investment, but I figure that sits better with him than being known as such a good mug the bookmakers wanted to keep him on the hook. TALK OF boycotting Sydney Turf Club meetings at Rose-hill and Canterbury because of the committee's attitude to owners is unlikely. The NSW Racehorse Owners Association wrote a letter of protest to the Minister for Racing, Chris Downy, and received one of those placating replies. Fortunately an unsung mediator has taken an interest and there is every chance the issue won't get out of hand..