European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 8, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday August 8, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 21 facing aussie73rd pea championship by Bob Green a Golf writer. Carmel ind. A they come from the land Down under and they re on the Way up threatening to replace european stars As the major foreign Factor in the 73rd pea championship. The last of the years big four events begins today with a seasoned cadre of australians High among the favourites. A a we be been there for a while. Its just that not Many people noticed a said Ian Baker Finch. Baker Finch made them notice a and underscored the austra pea at a glance by United press International Purana a $1.3 minion Winner gets $200,000. Last year a Wayne Grady played Par or better each round at Shoal Creek in Birmingham Ala., finishing at 6-under 282 to win by three strokes Over Fred couples. Previous winners in Field Wayne Grady 1990payne Stewart 1989jell Sluman 1988larry Nelson 1981, 1987bob Tway 1986. Hubert Green 1985hal Sutton 1983ray Floyd 1969, 1982jack Nick Laus 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980david Graham 1979john Mahaffey 1978lanny Wadkins 1977dave Stockton 1970, 1976. Missing stars a Lee Trevino Paul Azinger. Past highlights a Payne Stewart birdied four of last live holes in 1989 to win Over three players including Mike Reid who went 3-Over on the last three holes Bob Tway holed out irom a Sand trap on the final Hole to beat Greg Norman by two shots in 1986 Jack Nicklaus tied Walter Hagen s record by winning his filth pea in 1980, by seven shots Over Andy bean Lionel Hebert beat Dow Finsterwald 2-and-1 in 1967 in last match play pea. Lian Rise a by winning the British open last month. That Triumph came Over another australian Mike Harwood and marked the first time that aussies held two of the games four major titles at once. Wayne Grady a Brisbane native who like Baker Finch plays regularly on the . Tour won the pea a year ago with a grind it out Victory that was All but overlooked in the juror surrounding the then Whites Only membership policy of the Host course Shoal Creek in Birmingham Ala. A the situation led to major Golf organizations requiring open membership practices for All clubs hosting their events and Shoal Creek itself admitted at least one Black member. Race is not an Issue this year. But a in a different Way a the pea remains on trial. A number of leading europeans players who have dominated the game in recent years were very critical of the extremely difficult set up of Shoal Creek with narrow fairways penalizing rough and hard fast greens. Ian Woosnam even said he  be Back. The Little welshman changed his mind after winning the masters earlier this year but warned that if the pea course Isnit set up in a More forgiving fashion next weekend a i will be the last time ill  test will occur at crooked stick a 7,289-Yard, Par-72 Pete Dye designed course in the Northern suburbs of Indianapolis where watering of the course during a 20-Day drought raised the ire of some local residents and dropped the water table in their Wells. The rough pea spokesman Andy of Brien said is about 3xh inches a Little less than last year a and not nearly so severe a Payne Stewart the 1989 pea Champ appears to be the leading . Contender in the 130-Man Field. Any letdown he encountered following his . Open Victory in june was put aside last week in a run away Victory in the dutch open. Fred couples and Mark of Meara have yet to win in major tournament play but Are frequent contenders. Despite a playoff loss a week ago Corey Pavin appears to be moving Back to the top of his game. He has won twice this year and leads the pea tour in Money winnings. Paul Azinger recovering from shoulder surgery withdrew from the pea Field tuesday after a practice session. In addition to Woosnam the Large european contingent in eludes Nick Faldo and Stephen Richardson of England seve Ballesteros and Jose Marie Olazabal of Spain Sandy Lyle and Sam Torrance of Scotland and Bernhard Langer of Germany. Baker Finch and Grady Are joined by fellow australians Harwood Steve Elkington a Winner tin the american tour this year Craig Parry a Winner on the. European tour Peter senior a Winner in Australia David Graham a former pea and . Open Winner and of course Greg Norman. Norman once considered the outstanding player in the world is attempting a comeback from burnout. He blew a Chance to win the Western open but had a top-10 finish in the British his Only two starts since withdrawing from the . Open. Tom Watson another who once held the world no. 1 spot has a couple of extra incentives. For one thing he needs Only this title to become the fifth player to score career sweeps of the masters . And British opens and the pea. He has called it his top career priority. And despite the Lack of a Victory since 1987, the 41-year-old Watson has reason to believe he can do it. He chased Woosnam to the masters title this year and was in Contention through three rounds of the British open. Which leads to Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus won the . Senior open in his last Start beating Chi Chi Rodriguez with a 65 in a playoff at Oakland Hills. His masterpiece at one of americans More difficult courses prompted Nicklaus to look to the pea with More Confidence. A if i can play anywhere near As Well As 1 did a he said. The sentence trailed off unfinished. But the implication was obvious. Watson and Nicklaus could be bit players in the major subplot for the americans a filling the . Ryder cup team for next months matches against Europe at Kiawah Island . The Points list based on top-10 placings in pea tour events since the Start of the 1990 season closes Here. Hole by Hole at crooked stick Carmel ind. Apr a Hole by Hoie look Al crooked stick Golf club site of the $1.2 million 73rd pea championship thursday sunday a no. 1�?Par 4, 343 Yards fairly straight with prevailing winds left to right. Most players will play a 1 or 3-Iron off the tee. The Green is guarded by a Bunker in the front and a shallow Bunker in the Back right. No. 2�?Par 4, 432 Yards Dogleg left with wind at the players Back calling for a right to left tee shot with a Driver or 3-Wood. A very Large Fairway Bunker runs Down the left with two ametller shallow bunkers on the right. The Green is protected by a pot Bunker on the front right and a deep Bunker to the right. Deep rough on the left. The Green slopes Uphill from the front to the Back two thirds then Rolls slightly Uphill to the right the Back left portion of the Green slopes slightly downhill. No. 3�?Par 3, 196 Yarda shots to the hourglass shaped Green will require a 4-, 5-or 6-Iron. The Green is hunkered left and right and has a deep pot Bunker on the front left Center of the hourglass. The Green slopes up from the right to left from the front to the Middle then flattens out in the Back left. No. 4�?Par 4, 457 Yards the Fairway is protected by bunkers and bumps Down both sides and out of Bounds to the left. A Good tee shot will leave most players with 180210 Yards to the Green a 3-, 4 or 5-Iron to a Flat Green protected by a Large Bunker around the front and left edges. While the Green looks Flat there is a slight Down slope from the Back to the front no. 5�?Par 5,600 Yards depending on the firmness of the fairways and the wind some Long hitters could reach the Green in two. Three bunkers line the tight Side of the Fairway with an aiming Bunker protected by Trees on the left. The Green is protected by a Large deep Bunker front and left three smaller bunkers to the right front and Only about 5 Yards of Fairway. No. 6�?Par 3, 195 Yards the signature Hole of the course. The Green is protected in the front and on the right by a Pond that flows into a Creek. The Green slopes downhill slightly and the front left is guarded by a pot Bunker. It plays downwind. No. 7�?Par 4,441 Yards a slight Dogleg Nghi. The right Side of the Fairway is protected by a deep Gorge and a player carrying past it could run into a Bunker about 190 Yards from the Green. Course designer Pete Dye had the ground carved out around the Green so it look like it s sitting on a Pedestal. The left Side of the Green is protected by a Bunker 10-12 feet deep with the Green sloping away from the top. The Tricky Green slopes from the first one third Down to the front and right fairly severely. From the Middle to the Back the Green flattens and Rolls Down to the right. A no. 8�?Par 4, 438 Yards a Lake runs All the Way Down the left Side of the Dogleg and around to the rear of the Green. A right to left wind Oft the tee could be a problem on the second shot pushing the Ball toward the water. The right Side of the Green is protected by a very Long shallow Bunker. No. 9�?Par 5, 525 Yards considered one of the great Par 5s. A slight rolling Dogleg to the left the Hole includes a Creek that runs Down the left Side and drapes around the Fairway for the second shot. A dry Creek bed guarded by Railroad ties cuts across the Fairway closer to the Green and the Hole plays from a lateral water Hazard into a regular water Hazard on the second shot. On the shot Over the Creek the Fairway is protected by bunkers on the right and a group of Large Trees on the left that hang Over a Green. There is a very severe Down slope from the Middle to the front Edge of the Green. No. 10�?pir 4, 453 Yards the Fairway slopes downhill to the left toward an area protected by Trees. A right to left wind can Challenge players off the tee. The right Side of the Fairway is protected by a Lake that runs about 310 Yards. The Hole win play Long with drives heading into a slight up slope. The contoured Green slopes from Back to front making it one of the courses More difficult putting surfaces. Bunkers protect the Green on the left and front right. No. 11�?Par 5, 533 Yards a slight Dogleg right for players who Don t reach the Green in two shots tee shots can land in a mounded area that Rolls from right to left and players who carry their drives to the right of the area and catch some Roll May be Able to reach the Green in two. The left portion of the Fairway is protected by pot bunkers and umps with a few Trees. The Green slopes irom a portion All across the Back Down to the Edge players who Knock the approach shot Over the Green will live trouble going up and Down from a Back Bunker look for birdies and even some eagles on this Hole. No. 12�?Par 4, 395 Yards the left Side of the Fairway is protected by High rough and moguls the right by a Gorge 70 Yards Long and 30 feet deep. The Fairway slopes from the right to left away from the top of the Gorge the Green is protected by two Large bunkers on the left and a deep drop off in the Back. The right Side of the Green has Fairway with no rough but a shot from there will go to a Green that slopes slightly away from the player this Green can be difficult to read. No. 13�?Par 3, 180 Yards a Hole the players should like. The Green is Laid out with a Small Low target in front that slopes up to a Crown and then Down and away in the Back. Most players will use a 5 to 7-Iron the Green has a very Strong contour from front to Back and is protected by a Creek snaking across the Hont and along the right. No. 14�?Par 4, 468 Yards a player trying to Cut the Dogleg left must carry his drive 265 Yards against a left to right prevailing wind. A Hillside on the left protects the first portion of the tee shot. A Creek runs along the left Side of the Fairway All the Way to the Green. Players who cannot carry the Creek win play their tee shots Down the Creek Fine or to the right Center of the Fairway. The second shot could Range from 215 Yards to As Little As 160 Yards. The Green is Well protected by a Large Bunker on the left front and Middle with the Creek running along the left of the Bunker and around the Back Edge. The kidney shaped Green is also protected on the right front Corner by another Large Bunker and slopes. Considered one of the tougher Par 4s. No. 15�?Par 5, 507 Yarda the Green is reachable in two even into a prevailing wind. The left Side of the Fairway is protected by a Large Bunker that extends 270 Yards off the tee and includes circular grass islands amid the Sand. A Large deep Bunker sits in the front and Middle of the Horseshoe shaped Green and the Back of the Green is very shallow giving players who Knock in Over the Green a very difficult Chip shot from the rough. No. 16�?Par 4, 469 Yards a prevailing wind will be at the players Back when they tee toward a fairly wide open Fairway. Long Drivers will have to negotiate to avoid two bunkers which Ian out into the led Side of the Fairway. The tee shot is also protected on the right by a Long Fairway Bunker about 15 to 20 feet deep giving players Landing there a Blind shot to a Green protected by a Small Pond on the right and a Bunker on the front left. The front of a very difficult Green is fairly Flat but slopes Down into a Valley Back up to a Crown then drops Oil again in the Back no. 17�?Par 3, 212 Yards a 4 to 6-Iron shot will be used into an a shaped Agreen that slopes right to left and from the front Uphill to the Back about tour years behind the Green is a Lake the Green is protected on the right Side by a series of Mounds of fairly deep rough the Green has a drop of 17 feet on the left Side into a Large deep Bunker a no. 18�?Par 4, 445. Yards a Lake protects the right Side of the finishing Hole from the tee to the Green while the loft Side is guarded by a deep Gorge players will hit a Driver. 3-Wood or 1-Iron off the tee into a prevailing wind making the shot one of the most difficult on the course. The Green is fairly shallow in the front and protected by a pot Bunker on the left. On the right of the Green Thero is about 4 feet of fringe followed by a straight drop into the Lake the Green is wider in the Center with a left to right slope toward the Lake. The Back portion of the Green is also protected by the Lake on the right and a pot Bunker on the left defending Champ Wayne Grady Calls Brisbane Home. A file Ian Baker Finch holds British open title for Australia