CLUB CONTESTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 229, 28 September 1938, Page 19

CLUB CONTESTS.

WILSON LEADS THE YOUTHFUL CHALLENGE

GOOD MIDDLEMORE SCORES.

THOMSON, BEST SINGLE ROUND

fti ,i !. . t.t' hopes and fear#, and on a run*.- t'il tn perfection, the youthful J<. .M W -on led Middlemore's champion.|;i' ;>ing test with the Bplendid total 11 ■' 1 Forward tees were in the main 111 use and the player* had the atlvaiu .li-'i - of the locM rule of stamping cut li.ii: iiiiitkn on the green; but even »]|,>« i: i i- thin, the general level of the proline u ip< excellent. though Ji.nii.-' i '.id several loose shots in the pi,.rnin./ !•'.iikl in particular showed commen.l.l _-iit in recovering to obtain the c«iie. t ;• il 'S.

11.s i" , i"i iiinnee, coupled with his fighting IHI..- I 111 the main handicap event at lint"! im ■■uiwsl* that his arrival in big H"lt I- ■ 1111111111 1 11 1. A sound stylist, he hits lim >li"is i i ispl.v ni»l with a minimum of ell'..it. .hi.l 111 milled he resists the theory lm_'. '1 lav in the game.

K. I. li.u llci't, ;i former champion, perf.'iiu.'.i i uli.t astonishingly in finishing i:i I plan l . One say# astonishingly, a-. H.u t!•. r himself, in playing along fairly oti-.itlii\ . i >ut l>y no means brilliantly, fM-ai '<■!> -inspected that he was to finish k > <-l"K.- io annexing the major honours. .As it ti .inspired, it was only a calamitous 6 at tin' short seventh hole in the afternoon round which prevented him from heading tliu list.. What was no leaa curious was the fact that he should have missed innumerable opportunities. Such, of course, is the iwotii e of medal play. But the day eiiu'iTi'sts that Bartleet has reserve"! — reserve* which may prove discomforting to opponents in the subsequent matuh play.

Last Foar in Feertaen. Much the aarne may be said of R. D. Horton who, on the fifteenth tee. did not appear likely to finish much' below eighty. Hiit partner, R. D. Wrigh«,at this stage was a stroke to the good of Horton, but the latter played a glorious second to the green, holed the putt, treated the sixteenth with the same scant courtesy and in obtaining the regulation four carried on in inspired strain for a 4, 3 finish—fourteen for four balls. Bewildered by it all, Wright had a couple of sixes to finish in 80 to Horton'e 74. Horton has been putting like a demon, wherein is wrapped much of the story. 1). Q. Thomson, though unsteady, evidenced hia usual reaource in getting figures even when things were not going well. Much of hia golf in the morning round was first-class and though he threeputted on two or three occasions, he holed many putts of awkward length when the strain was on. He has not his former dominance in that hia game ia unsteady, though is mo good a match player that it will call for good golf if he ia to be eliminated.

C. P. Hoadley, 73 and 81, also had his wp« and downa. As yet lacking something in experience, he became a little cramped in the afternoon but as a stylist and vigorous hitter haa a good future. With W. B. Luak and O. W. S. William* also filling the picture, Middlemore has a bevy of youthful talent the lot of few clubs.

Two of the old brigade in W. N. Abbott and R. O. Rainger fully earned their honours, Rairiser in particular having played steadily all day. It ia doubtful whether he has ever played better golf than at present and he was one oI the trio to have bettered 80 in each round. Abbott, in hie afternoon 74, had perhaps a ehade of luck; but then, who wants to eliminate luck? If anyone was unlucky it was Harold Lusk, seven times champion of the club. He fought it out to th* laat ditch, but at the fifteenth and sixteenth greens had heartbreaking experiences whan hie shots to the flag just did the wraiW thing and kicked into bunkers. At jIM afaU*enth his ball waa practically unpl^rawf/jiß.-.a i hole left hare by a former ' viallWjj>»_ B. H. Menzies morning foMfli y. correctly the outward half, itey of' from bunker to bunker; but from the turn hiH game recovered ita characteristic Steadiness. # • In the afternoon he obtained a lmu with a 3 at the first and thereafter left nothing to chance. _ . . .. B. M. Hay, 80 and 77, and C. H. Knight, 77 and 82, played some quite good golf in gaining their places, and Knight's opening, round in particular waa deseived ill the wav. '• . P. C. Savage and Alan Donald, though having finished at the tail ol the netu, played better golf than their totals may auggest. Savage waa in the main most comfortably placed, yet _ lost ▼•'uaDle strokes in most simple fashion. JJwiald s best golf waa on the outward run in the afternoon. . . He pfayed the first nine in 38. and it waa a rare example of the vagariea of the lj*in« that on the comparatively easy half he frittered away strokes.