Sporting Digest: Golf

The 2001 World Match Play Championship will be staged in Melbourne, Australia, it was announced yesterday. 64 players will play in an elimination match play format over five days, culminating in a 36-hole championship match.

NEW ZEALAND OPEN (Auckland) Leading first-round scores: 68 P Tataurangi (NZ). 69 R Pampling (Aus). 70 M Campbell (NZ), B King (Aus). 72 R Swanson (Aus), J Dawes (Aus), M Lane (NZ), L Parsons (Aus), K Booker (Aus). 73 P Fowler (Aus), S Laycock (Aus), G Coles (Aus), J Benepe (US), M Cain (Aus), P Moloney (Aus), N O'Hern (Aus), C Beck (US), E Boult (NZ), D Chopra (Swe). GB: 74 M Sheppard (Eng). 77 J Rose (Eng). 78 P Smith (Sco).