N.Z. GOLF TITLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 262, 4 November 1932, Page 5

N.Z. GOLF TITLE.

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. TOURNEY AT HERETAUNGA. SILK AND H. A. BLACK 71. HOLDER IN SEVENTH PLACE. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") TRENTHAM, this day. There was fine weather for, and much interest taken in, the first round of the New Zealand open golf championship at the Heretaunga links this morning. The second round is being played this afternoon, while the third and fourth will be decided on Saturday.

B. M. Silk and N. H. Fuller teed off at 9 o'clock, and as there are 66 competitors the last pair in the draw did not get away until 11.40 o'clock.

Cards returned in the initial round were:—B. M. Silk, 71; E. J. Moss, 72; A. J. Shaw (holder of title), 74; J. D. Mcintosh, 74; A. G. Sirae, 75; T. H. Horton, 75; J. P. Hornabrook, 75; B. J. Smith, jun., 76; N. H. Fuller, 76; D. C. Collins, 78; Dr. K. Ross, 78; J. A. Clements, 78: F. Rutter, 78; B. V. Wright, 79; D. O. Whyte, 79; H. Blair, 80; C. W. Woodroffe, 81; R. T; Tosewill, 82; J. Forrest, 83; J. Lambie, 83; J. W. Ross, 84; C. A. Seymour, 86; H. MacDougall, 92.

H. A. Black 71, A. D. S. Duncan 72, T. S. Galloway 72, J. Millard 73, G. Watt 75, R. Stratmore 77, W. B. Reilly 78, J. P. Mortland 79, F. Branch 82, Jas. Watt 83, J. L. Petlev 85, K. C. Ward 85, L. G. Ross 86, G. W. Melvin 94.

A. E. Ekstedt 75, J. R. Galloway 77, G. W. Ritchie 78, J. D. G. Duncan 78, W. O'Callaghan 79, R. C. Butters 79, C. C. Clements 80, A. H. Warren 80, F. C. Fryer 82 T. R. McGregor 82, H. M. Burridge 82, B. J. Smith 83, H. E. Troutbeck 86. Notes on the Play. Silk set a high standard for succeeding competitors, completing the round in 71, one under the scratch score for the course. Though not driving at his best, Silk made amends by the consistent accuracy of his chip shots, which left him easy putts. He played the first six holes without a mistake, and got bogey figures. At the seventh (444 yds) he obtained a four against bogey's five, but slipped this stroke at the long eighth (536 yds), where his drive left him in such a position that he could not play his second on to the fairway. His outward journey was 36. Coming home Silk slipped a stroke at the tenth, taking five, but regained it at the twelfth, and followed with an "eagle" three at the next (453 yds). Another three at the sixteenth put him two better than the scratch score of the homeward round, but he lost a 6troke at the seventeenth. Thus lie was out in 36 and home in 35; a total of 71.

Par figures for the course can be set at 76, the par of seventh and ninth holes being 4 against 5 and 3 against 4 respectively. Similarly at the twelfth and thirteenth, both bogc-y fives, fours must be allowed for par figures.

N. Fuller (professional), whose home is at Otahuhu, partnered Silk, and started by hooking his tee shot out of bounds, taking six. He lost another stroke at the second and eighth to be out in 40. He played the homeward journey in scratch 6gures, which could have been improved with any luck on the tenth, eleventh and twelfth greens, where he narrowly missed putts.

Shaw (the 1931 champion) and E. Ross were the next pair, out in 38 and 37 respectively. Shaw was too strong with his seconds at the first two holes, taking five at each. Coming home, "eagle" three at the twelfth was counteracted by three putts on the thirteenth. His card was 74.

Roes played the fourteenth and fifteenth, both one-shot holes, badly, and ruined his card. He took six at the fifteenth, the shortest hole on the course, losing his first tee shot in the hazard.

When about 40 of the 66 competitors had completed the round at 1 o'clock, Harold Black was sharing best honours with Silk. Going to the sixteenth hole he was three under fours, thus wanting three bogeys for 69. However, he struck trouble at the sixteenth, taking six. Black had the best outward round of the morning, a 33, which included a putt from the edge of the green for a two at the third.

Moss commenced well with a 3 at the first, and his excellent round had possibilities of being three or four strokes better. At the sixth his drive gave him a practically unplayable lie after a hook into the grass, and his only other mistake was at the next, where he under-clubbed his iron, and was 30yds short. At the fourteenth a putt for two stopped on the lip of the hole, while he just missed putts at the fifth and the sixteenth. However, he is putting well, a department of the game in which he had failed in previous contests. Arthur Duncan, the veteran, surprised by also returning a card of 72, and he was putting without precision. U. Galloway, the Maungakiekie professional, shared honours with Moss and Duncan with a card of 72, even though the thirteenth was truly his unlucky hole, costing him 7 after getting in the trees with his drive. He finished splendidly in 3, 3, 3, 4, 3.