GOLF.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 196, 2 June 1930, Page 6

GOLF.

BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPION. BOBBY JONES WINS TITLE. (United Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, May 31. In the final for the amateur golf championship, Bobby Jones (U.S.A.) beat R. Wethered (Britain). Jones crowned his career when, after nine matches in six days, entailing the loss of a stone in weight, lie carried off tlie amateur championship. Wethered, after maintaining for nine holes Ins reputation for playing the Best golf at Saint Andrews, encountered disaster, losing four successive holes. He and his opponent were put in 35, turning all square, but Jones was four up at the end of the fir&t round. Thereafter Wethered continually blundered, not always redeeming himself. Jones played inspiringly with unhurried, machinelike perfection. When the afternoon round started, the players appointed bodyguards to ensure elbow room. Ouimet and von Elm protected Jones, while Tolley helped to safeguard Withered. -Nevertheless "the clearing of the fairway of intruders necessitated several delays. The trains brought hundreds of Scots, swelling the pandemoniac crowd to 20,000 including fanatics with neighing bagpipes. None of the spectators was hit, despite stampedes from green to green. A diminutive woman spectator stymied by the crowd overcame her handicap with a periscope. The American was six up at the tenth hole in the last round, and the eleventh was halved for three. The twelfth was the last of a memorable match. Wethered crossed the green in two, and ran a yard and a half past- with the next shot, missing the putt. Jones, who was dead, won the hole, the match and the championship by 7 up and 6 to play.

Winners of the championship for the last five years were:—l92s, Robert Harris: 1926, J. Sweetser ; 1927, Dr. W. Tweddell; 1928, H. P. Perkins; 1929, C. J. H. Tolley. Wethered has won the title previously, in 1923. Jones is the present nation open champion of the United States, a title he also held in 1926 and 1923. He was national amateur champion in 1924, 1925, 1927, and 1928. He held the British open championship in 1926 and 1927.