GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 81, 7 April 1926, Page 12

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

THE AUCKLAND TITLE. WON BY R. D. WRIGHT. WONDERFULLY EXCITING GAME.

The struggle between R. D. Wright, of Auckland Club, and R. M. George, of Maungakiekie Club, in the final of the Auckland provincial championship at Middlemore links was a memorable one, not for the quality of the golf but for the sustained severity of the play. Half a dozen times or more the game was apparently thrown away by one or the other by some mistake and then retrieved by a brilliant shot at the last moment. Thus the match wore on in sustained excitement practically from the fourth to the 22nd green, where Wright at last won the honours after one of the most stubborn championship finals ever played on the links. The features of the game were the excellent uniformity of the tee shots, and the inconsistency of both players in their other work, lapses up to and on the green being brilliantly recovered.

Wright Starts Well. In the early stages the advantage was with Wright, for after the Auckland man had won the first hole and George had squared the game at the second and halved tbe third, the balance was against George for the rest of the journey out. A short approach lost George the fourth hole, and while they both got into trouble with their seconds at the awkward fifth hole Wright got out beautifully, while his opponent got into a bunker and then managed to halve the hole. Again a short approach by George lost "him a-chance and at the sixth Wright increased his lead to two. At the Tamaki, wten his opponent had the advantage on the green, George rattled a long putt into the tin with the greatest of confidence for a 3, while Wright missed a s*hort putt for the half. Both of them missed 8-foot putts for the win at the eighth, which was halved in four. Tlie ninth was distinguished by Wright holing a 16-foot putt in fine style for a 4, and turning for home 2 up. George's Great Effort.

At this stage George demonstrated his fighting quality by making a great effort, and in the next three holes he completely turned the tables. By excellent golf he won the short tenth, Wright just missing a long putt for the half in 3. The next, St. Anne's, was sensational, for while Wright was on the edge of the green in two, George, in cutting his ball out from a lie under a paspalum clump in the rough as tha result of a hooked tee shot, failed to get right under it and Bent it over the top bank into the creek. By the local rule he gave away a stroke and dropped another ball near the top edge of the green, and then electrified the. gallery "by holing out a forty-foot putt for 4. Wright's approach putt -was wide and too strong, arid the game was all square. A beautiful approach shot by George at the next enabled Mm to hole in 4, while ""Wright, who was also well on the green, missed a medium putt for the half, and when they went to the 13th, George was ahead for the first time in the game.

Some Lost Chances. Both played a perfect 3 for (The Shovel, and at the next, -when they were well on the green, Wright missed a short putt for the half in 4, making George two up. An even 4 was played at the next, and again a weak putt lost Wright the hole at the 16th, which was halved in s—George two up and 2to go. When Wright's ball struck the protecting hunker at the 17th from his second shot and dropped back, with George on the green at the back, it looked as if the game was over. He chipped over to within 18 feet of the pin, while George was short with his approach, laying about the same distance away. The mistake proved costly for the Maungakiekie man, for Wright once again got his long putt home, while George failed to sink the long putt which would have given him a half for the hole and the championship.

A Stubborn Finish. • That proved. the turning point, for George hooked his tee shot into the rough at the next, and had to play out into the fairway, while Wright's second was just outside the hunker at the green. George hooked his iron shot, but on the green he -was left with a medium putt to get the half in 5 and the game, but missed it, and the game was all square. Once again George missed a chance on the green at the 19th, while the position was reversed on the next, where be got in the sand with his second, but Z_. *"$ b y„ missing a fairly easy putt. On the 21st, George wain an apparently winning position when Wright retrieved the game with a 20-foot putt. At the next both were at the edge of the green in 2 and their next left it a matter of a twelve-foot putT Wnght sank his, and George miZd with the result that Wright was the champion, after one of the greatest finishes ever played on the links? The Handicap Competitions.

The play-off for the tie between P. J. Western and B. C. Jacobs for second place in the 36-hole medal competition and the 18-hole medal competition resulted in a win for Jacobs.

D. MacCormick beat <3. F. Gunson in the play-off for first place in Monday's bogey competition.

A bogey competion, played yesterday, resulted in a tie for first place between W. S. Ralph and F. Macky, who were 2 up oh bogey. Ralph won the play-off. A four-ball competition resulted in a win

for P- J. and J. C. Western, who were 8 up W. S. Ralph and H. B. Anderson were 7 up. Presentation of Prizes. The prizes won at the tournament were presented by the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, who congratulated both the winner of the championship and the . runner-up on the splendid game they had provided spectators in the final.

MAUNGAXIEKIE TOURNAMENT. The "Maunga-iekie Golf Club's open handicap tournament was concluded at tie Titirangi links yesterday. The following are the results of the various matches:— Easter Cup.—Semi-flnal: fi. J. Torrens (12) beat A. J. Good (16), 4 and 2; H A. Randrup (9) beat A. Y. Peace (10), 8 and 6. Final: R. J. Torrens heat H. A. Randrup, No. 1 Group Handicap.—Final: W J A Thomson (10) beat O. L. Martelli, 2 and' 1 ' No. 2 Group Handicap.—Final- F N Laurie (14) beat F. C. Ewen (12), 1 nn' N°; 3 Group Handicap.—Fllnal: J F Shanly (25) beat F. W. Wilson (25)7 2 and l! W N _ 0 „_„^? U K P Handicap.-Semi-nna!r EL T -wrf 6 -?* beat F - (201, 2 and 1 : aefa_lt Hnhter won fromR ' Wilson by Wag o ** P -i ay ? d te «>* "?ho, with a i" A " bogey. __; otw*?. of 8 * w is 2up on n^ c: ,; M - Nelsoh (Bi*i eßt c *l aa atoned T U)^ all square- ct ( I' £ v R - 51. Daere - - ___)

OTAHUHU CLUB.

The Otahuhu Club will open Its season on Saturday nest; when- mixed foursomes will be played. . Post, entries will be received from club members. SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS. L. T. .QUIN IN TARANAKI. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH. Tuesday. The Taranaki championship golf tournament concluded on tin* New Plymouth Club's course to-day in ideal weather. The final of tbe championship was won by L. T. Qnin (Eitham), who defeated G. M. Chong (New Plymouth), 3 aa< x -.. For breaking the amateur record for the course (7,"i). previously held by A. Soifert (Palmerston North t, P. Grey (New Plymouth), who did Ti-in the qualifying round, gained a special trophy. RICHMOND IN NELSON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) NELSON, Tuesday. Tire interprovinciai golf championship final was won by G. 'Richmond, of Nelson, who defeated ICvans. of Ilutt, 7 and 5. CONWAY IN WELLINGTON. (By Te3egraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Some excellent golf was witnessed at the Heretauuga links to-day, when A. E. Conway defeated A. D. S. Duncan in the final for the Wellington provincial championship. In the semi-finals. Duncan beat Parker, 3 and 2, and A. E. 'Conway beat T. Horton at the 19th. In the final, Duncan missed some apparently easy shots, his putting not being up to form. At the loth, Conway was 5 up and 3. EKSTEDT AT MANAWATU. (By Te3egraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Tuesday. Under perfect weather conditions, the final of the Manawatu Easter golf championship was played to-day, when H. H. Hutchison was defeated by A. E. Ekstedt. the holder, 2 up, after a well-contested game.