History
In early February 1967, the Forbes Golf Club, located in Forbes, New South Wales, [1] made an announcement that they would be hosting their "first professional purse tournament." [2] The purse was A$1,500. [3] The tournament would open with a pro-am followed by the professional tournament. [2] Over 90 "top golfers from New South Wales and overseas" committed the event. [3] This included golfers from the state like Bob Stanton, Bill Dunk, and Ted Ball. [2] Top Australian Kel Nagle also committed. [4] In addition, overseas players like Martin Roesink, Andreas van Pixton, and Walter Godfrey elected to play. [2] At the inaugural event Alan Murray "had the tournament within his grasp several times" over the course of the weekend but was unable to create separation. [5] During the first round, he was two-under-par entering the final hole, leading the tournament, but "sliced his drive." He made double bogey to fall into second place. [3] In the final round, Murray again was in the lead for much of the day. However, he once more "slumped" on the final hole. [5] Bill Dunk took advantage, playing with "grim determination" to defeat Murray by one. [5] Nearly 2,000 people attended the event. [4]
In the early 1970s, there were significant advances to the event. A women's, "associates" tournament was played concurrent with the men's tournament. [6] [7] In addition, the men's event evolved into a 54-hole tournament. In 1971, Maria Parsons won the women's tournament by three strokes over Jan Stephenson and Heather Bleek. [6] Alan Murray was able to win the men's event that year, by four strokes over a number of players. [6] 4,000 spectators attended the event. [6] The following year, Jack Newton shot a final round 69 to win at 213. [8] It was the future star's "[b]iggest win" of his career to this point. [9] The next year, in 1973, Penny Pulz, a future LPGA golfer, won the associate's tournament. [7] At the men's tournament, Paul Firmstone took early control. In the opening round he shot a 69 (−3) to take the lead. [10] In the second round, he "held his lead" with a one-under-par 71. He led by one over Bill Dunk, Brian Moran, and Tim Woolbank. [11] Firmstone played poorly in the final round, however, ultimately shooting a 77 (+5) to fall out of the picture. [12] It turned out to be a two-man race between Dunk and Woolbank. Both shot 35 on the front nine and held the joint lead at the turn. [12] However, Dunk bogeyed the 10th and Woolbank eagled the par-5 11th; at this point "it was no longer a race." [12] Woolbank defeated Dunk by four. [12] The following year, Firmstone again contended. He was well behind Kel Nagle entering the final round; [13] however, he shot several under-par to match Nagle by the end of regulation. [14] However, he once again struggled in crunch time, losing to Nagle in the sudden-death playoff. [14]
By the mid-1970s, the tournament had evolved into a full 72-hole event. The purse increased to A$10,000. [15] At the 1976 tournament, after three rounds, Randall Vines had the lead with a 208 total. [16] In the final round, however, Allan Cooper ascended into contention, birdieing four of the first six holes. [17] Vines still "shared the lead" for most of the day "until he three-putted the 17th hole." [17] Cooper, with a final round 67 (−5), defeated Vines by one. [17] The following year, in the third round, Bill Dunk recorded a 66 in the third round, tying the course record. [18] He held a two stroke lead over Kel Garner and led by one more over Tom Linksey, Terry Gale, and Barry Burgess. [18] In the final round, however, Dunk "slumped" to a one-over-par 73. [19] Gale, meanwhile, shot a two-under-par 70 to tie him. In the playoff, on the second extra hole, Gale made a "curling" birdie putt of 12 feet to win. [19]
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Terry Gale