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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 1979)
Page 8 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1979 Longmuir sets royal pace in Open United Press International LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — Defending champion Jack Nicklaus holed-in-one and U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin shot his best-ever round for the tournament Wednesday, but it was little-known British pro Bill Longmuir who stole the thunder with a pace-setting 6-under-par 65 to take the early first round lead in the 108th British Open Championship. Longmuir’s blistering round, which equaled the championship record for the Royal Lytham St.An- nes course, gave him a three-stroke edge over Irwin, while Nicklaus faded to a 72 after dropping four strokes on the back nine. Longmuir, a 26-year-old Scot who kept his pro career going on the pro ceeds of two “JVTr. Personality” con test wins at disco clubs and a six- month stint driving trucks, reeled off six birdies over the front nine to equal the Open record of 29 and then “hung on like grim death” coming back in the teeth of a biting wind in even par. “My hat’s off to him. What a round of golf, incredible,” said Irwin, prais ing Longmuir’s performance. Nicklaus, seeking his fourth British Open title, was moved to comment: “Sixty-five? I don’t be lieve the score or the person, it’s fic ticious. It’s certainly some round, though. He did pretty well today.” Irwin, whose best Open finish in five previous attempts was ninth in 1976, was pleased with his round in which he picked up three birdies on the difficult back nine for a 33 after covering the first nine holes in even-par with one birdie and one bogie- “It’s my best round in the British Open,” the 34-year-old bespectacled American from Frontenac, Mo., said later. “I drove reasonably well. I hit it solidly. I played the back nine rea sonably well because all the shots downwind are very hard to control. Wind is not necessarily an asset on the opening nine — sometimes it is almost a hindrance. You can’t control the ball and it gets away from you quite easily. On the second nine you are fighting against the wind all the time.” Irwin dropped a stroke at the 393-yard par-4 fifth when he three- puttqd from 40 feet, but then got down in two from 30 feet at the 551- yard seventh, the longest hole on the 6,822-yard course, for a birdie four. He started the back nine in scintil lating style with birdies at three of the first four holes, including a 35 foot putt at the 11th, and then played the final five holes in even par. “It was a well managed day, which could have got away from me,” he said. “I made some good putts, but missed birdie chances on the fifth and sixth holes (where he missed two 10 footers).” In contrast, Nicklaus felt he let a good chance slip away after making the 10th hole-in-one of his career at the par-3 212-yard fifth hole with his 5-iron tee shot. “Oddly enough I hit the ball well and when I saw it rolling I walked to the front of the tee and saw it disappear. I felt good,” said the “Golden Bear.” “From one over-par (he dropped a stroke at the fourth where he missed an eight-foot putt) I was suddenly 1-under.” Nicklaus then birdied the next two holes and reached the turn in 32. DISCOUNT V2 Rested Astros hit the road Students, Faculty & Staff HAVE The Houston Chronicle DELIVERED TO YOUR DORM, APARTMENT, OR HOUSE EVERY DAY FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER SEMESTER Now Until August 17 for $3.00 Now Until August 31 for $4.00 JUST CALL 693-: OR 846-0763 HOUSTON CHRONICLE .Weekday Evenings Weekend Mornings Timed to arrive when you have time to read United Press International HOUSTON — The surprising Houston Astros begin post All-Star play today in first place for the first time in the team’s history. The Astros are 5 Vi games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds and 8Vi games ahead of the San Francisco Giants. “I was strong in the second half of last season,” said pitcer J. R. Richard, who has been a disappointment so far this year. He will need to match his 10-2 record in the second half of 1978 to improve his current 7-10 record to the level of his finishes the past three years. “But last year does not do much for me right now, although I do feel I am relaxed. Just look at what’s happen ing now. I’ve pitched well for the last month and my record has gone dow- nhill, ” he said. Houston returns to action today for five road games at Pittsburgh and St. Louis, and this week’s short rest could be the trigger for better hit ting. Manager Bill Virdon thinks the layoff might help. Richard was not the only Astros’ pitcher to improve his record in the second half of last season. Joe Niekro was 8-6 and Ken Forsch was 8-3. Generally, Houston’s pitching has been excellent this season. But team hitting, which is currenty a lowly .245, is off from last year's team .257 average. Jose Cruz, who hit .315 in 1978, is not hitting as well. Neither are Enos Cabell (.295 last year). Cesar Cedeno (.281), Art Howe (.293) or pinch-hitter Jesus Alou (.324). “Funny things are happening,” ,286-hitting Terry Puhl said. “We are not hitting early as well as we did last year and we are in the lead. I wouldn’t have believed it. “The good thing is, we are going to come out of it and start pounding people.” Coaches head to ‘Cowtown )l. 72 Page United Press International FORT WORTH — Almost 8,000 members of the Texas High School Coaches’ Association, the largest high school coaching organization in the world, will gather next week to review past seasons, look ahead to the coming year and attend several clinics. The occasion is the 47th annual coaching school opening Tuesday and continuing through Saturday in the Tarrant County Convention Center. Registration begins at 10 a.m., but officials said more than 5,000 have pre-registered. From a meager registration of 251 at the first school in Dallas in 1935, attendance ballooned to 7,385 in Houston last year. L.W. McConachie, executive vice presi dent of the THSCA, said member ship now exceeds 8,500 and is grow ing every year. “Each year we have more schools in Texas,” he said, “and with more schools we have more coaches. We may be just short of 8,000 in atten dance this year.” A THSCA directors meeting on Tuesday proceeds the school. The high school basketball and football all-stars and coaches check in at Texas Christian University Sunday afternoon and begin workouts Monday. This year the basketball game is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the convention center. The football game will be Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in TCU’s Amon Carter Stadium. In addition to a number of out standing Texas high school football, basketball and track coaches, the 1979 school will feature several uni versity coaches of national impor tance. Instructors for football include Hayden Fry, University Augie Tammariello, Univenit; Southern Louisiana, and Leon ler, defensive coordinator at Univerity of Texas at Austin. The basketball staff inct Gerald Myers of Texas Tech l)» sity and Dean Smith of the Unii sity of North Carolina. Jai Blackwood of the University ofl! at Austin and Charlie Thomai Texas A&M Univeristy headli instruction. A full program for coaches of a sports has been scheduled with Si Ridgway of the University ofTem Arlington lecturing on voUejh Miriam Satern of Texas Weslf College handling basketball; Bert Lyle ofTexas Woman’sUnhi ity discussing track. Ross Bailey of TCU willheadta ing clinics and Joe Dean, natia promotion director for the Conn Rubber Co., will be a s speaker. Frank Bevers of Dallas High Park will head the North teamli ball coaching staff and Bob Met)* of Temple heads the South squad. The North leads the 25-15 and there have beenfb The North won last year, H James Boynton of Abilene will coach the North b and David Middleton of B the South. The North alsolei series, 18-16, including a 1 victory last year. "We expect a record a by our members,” said Qualls of Mesquite, president association. Qualls will be replace^ president-elect Eddie Jose] Wharton at the final business of the school. During that new president-elect will be Sr Woodlands wants pro tennis action United Press International HOUSTON — Oilman and real estate developer George Mitchell has offered to build a 10,000-seat tennis stadium at The Woodlands if professional tennis decides to de velop a new tournament in the Hous ton area. Mitchell, president of Mitchell Energy & Development Corp., which owns the Woodlands resort, said Tuesday he was not trying to replace the annual River Oaks Ten nis Tournament, but he said “some day it will outgrow its facilities,” Drive Thru Chicken ’n rolls 705 N. Texas & 502 Villa Maria UuncVi Save 604 each V* C b C kcd * Wh baked t vrice Save 504: each " -AQ •tlilV Or& eT Save *1 chicken Specie* - ~ c SF C fli • •clip coupon* •••••••••••••••• coupon* • clip stadium on the grounds of River Oaks Country Club. “We have told the ATP (Associa tion of Tennis Professionals) that if River Oaks ever wishes to give it up, we’d be happy to build a tennis stadium at The Woodlands,” Mitch ell said. Mitchell noted that in the last two years, top players including Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg, have skip ped River Oaks, and he said ATP inability to guarantee star appear ances would be a barrier to develop ing a new tournament. “The sponsors don’t know if they’re going to show up or Mitchell said. “You can’tplan facility unless they’re play in certain tournaments ai professional golfers are.” The Woodlands hosts the Open golf tournament. Harry Parten, head pi River Oaks, said recent coi about a shortage of River Oaks nament tickets available to tk lie have arisen only during the “There are plenty of seats ble for the first six days, but the] lie complains when it can’t see the finals,’ Parten said, public in this case is anyone can’t get a ticket.’’ Parten also said the mainrei ilexa: players skip River Oaks is “theyi year need the money and can suitth some selves. I think there’s too muds about whether a tournament Borg or Connors and about tk of the stadium. “George Mitchell is one of greatest promoters of tennis a* fine individual, but there’s ak* tradition involved in the RiverOi It’s more of a social event athletic event.” The Classifieds 845-2611 Rick ) EW0 exico E*P' tcS 1 rte Lunch fresh baked . lip coupon . Save 50$ # ZDm*!Uked rou Jj : 2p'“p V coie S i^.b lip coupon ** Save S 1 MSC TOWN HALL PRESENTS Thursday, August 2 8:30 pm Rudder Auditorium Tickets : TAMU Students 5.50 General Public 6.50 For tickets & info 845-2916