Bob Allard

Bob Allard, of Portland, Ore., won the Championship in an 18-hole playoff with Rick Schultz, of Omaha, Neb., scoring a 71 to Schultz' 74. Both had scored 285 over the regulation 72 holes, a record low score for the Championship since it was converted to stroke play in 1967.

Allard, 23, had rounds 70-73-73 and Schultz, 22, had scored 70-71-75 to be two strokes off the lead at 216 after 54 holes. They both scored 69 in the final round to force a playoff, the first in the Championship's stroke-play history.

In the playoff, Allard's straight driving and dependable short-irons led to three birdies, whereas Schultz could not manage one. The Championship was held at the Coffin Golf Course, Indianapolis, Ind., a relatively short course at 6,360 yards with a par of 70. However, only 12 rounds of sub-par golf were played. This was the third Amateur Public Links Championship played at Coffin Golf Course, more than any other course.

Third place was won by Dan Elliot, with rounds of 68-70-76-74-288; his 36-hole total of 138 tied the record set in 1967 and led the City of Portland to its second consecutive team title. He, Allard, and Lynn McSherry scored a total of 430 for the first two rounds to beat the second-place team from Pheonix, Ariz. By seven strokes and retain the Warren G. Harding Trophy. Fourth place was shared by Richard Ehrmanntraut, of St. Paul, Minn.; Gene Rucker, of Miami, Fla.; and Dennis Smith, from Memphis, Tenn.

Ehrmanntraut's final round of 66 was low for the Championship. There were 3,743 acceptable entries for the Championship, with the 150 eventual starters being decided by 36-hole qualifying rounds held at 50 locations.