Golfer Pete Oosterhuis surprised the crowds at the starts of the Piccadilly World Match-play championships at Wentworth today (12 Oct). He beat Gary Player, the strongly-fancied South African who has won the event four times, including last year.

In the Piccadilly contest, eight world-famous golfers play each other on a knock-out basis. The pairings in the first round were -- Tony Jacklin (UK) and Grier Jones (USA); Lee Trevino (USA) and Doug Sanders (USA); Gary Player (S. Africa) and Peter Oosterhuis (UK); Dave Graham (Australia) and Tom Weiskopf (USA). The GBP25,000 (60,000 dollar) tourney is being fought out over Wentworth's rugged, 6,997 yard (6,396 metres) "Burman Road" course.

Tomorrow's semi-final (October 13) will be an Anglo-American contest, as the first round winners were Oosterhuis, Jacklin, Trevino and Weiskopf, Trevino will play Jacklin and Oosterhuis will meet Weiskopf.

SYNOPSIS: Tony Jacklin tees off in the Piccadilly World Match-play tournament at Wentworth, the famous British course so tough it's been nicknamed the "Burma Road".

Jacklin's opponent was Grier Jones, from the United States. The tournament -- with prize money totalling twenty-five thousand pounds sterling -- is fought on a knock-out basis. Jones lost here, seven and six.

South African Gary Player has won the event four times. But he had an erratic start this year.

His opponent, Briton Peter Oosterhuis, was five ahead at the twelfth hole, and eventually won by one hole -- despite some erratic putting.

Player recovered form too late to redeem his chances.

Australia's David Graham was paired with Tom Weiskopf of the United States. Graham has won several major champion-ships this year. His placid, reliable approach is in strong contrast with the temperamental American's but he didn't reach his best form.

Weiskopf is well-known as a big hitter, but his putting was spot-on and he won three and two
There was one all-American match, between Loe Trevino and Doug Sanders, seen here pitching onto the seventeenth green.

He left himself with a long putt, and his failure to sink it gave Trevino a two and one victory.

In the semi-finals Jacklin will play Trevino and Oosterhuis will meet Weiskopf.