GOLF: Daly is warned as Parry prevails

Golf

Craig Parry shot a two-under-par round of 71 in Melbourne yesterday to win the Australian Masters for the third time in five years and earn a first prize of pounds 67,000.

Parry finished 13 under par on 279 to win by two strokes from fellow Australian Bradley Hughes, who bogeyed the last two holes and shot 73 after being level with Parry after the 16th.

Parry, who won the title in 1992 and 1994, holed a number of crucial putts while his rivals faltered around the tricky par-73, 7,000-yard Huntingdale course.

Jeff Wagner shot a 71 to record a third-place finish three shots behind Parry, while the overnight leader Rick Gibson, of Canada, slumped to a round of 76 and was in a group of players sharing fourth place at nine under.

John Daly, the Open champion, was given a warning by Australasian PGA Tour officials for his behaviour during the final round in which he shot a 73 to finish on 288.

Daly displayed a "poor demeanour" after being denied line of sight advantage on the fourth hole, Trevor Herden, the PGA Tour director of operations, said.

"I'd just got to two-under and I was thinking about winning the tournament," Daly said. "An [advertising] sign was right in the line of my shot. It was just a bad ruling. It's just not right."

In Johannesburg Ernie Els shot a second round 68 to take a two-stroke lead into the third and final round of the rain-delayed South African PGA Championship at Houghton golf club yesterday.

Els was among a third of the field who had not finished their second rounds when bad light ended play on Saturday and was forced to come back at 6.45am yesterday morning to complete.

The South African was 11 under par through 12 holes on Saturday and picked up another shot in the final six on Sunday to give himself some breathing room.

Ireland's David Feherty added a 69 to his first day 65 to be alone in second place on 134, two behind Els, while five players were a further two shots back on 136.

They included Scotland's Gary Orr, who matched Els' first round 64 to race up the leader board after a level par 72 in his first round.

Scores, Digest, page 19