AMATEURS CHALLENGE "PROS" IN OPEN GOLF

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 192, 16 August 1939, Page 16

AMATEURS CHALLENGE "PROS" IN OPEN GOLF

Good Performances in Strenuous Conditions At the Hill — Club Competitions in Review.

(By RUBBERCORE.)

Maungakiekie s open day for professionals and amateurs, though held in the vilest of weather, was productive of some excellent golf. J. C. Pelham's morning round of 72 was outstanding. The foundation was laid in his 34 outward, a score helped by one or two spectacular recoveries from bunkers. Three strokes away was P. G. Smith, the amateur champion. Smith, too, was away to a quite brilliant start, but slumped from the seventh to the ninth holes. He did much the same thing in the afternoon round, but recovered with a timely 3 at the ninth for 35 for the half.

the early stages, Stone lost only at the seventeenth. Of other matches R. Stewart on the day carried too many guns for J. B. O'Loghlen, while J. Murray went to further success in winning from W. R. Vercoe. Vercoe has been playing quite well, but met very solid opposition in Murray. H. J. Jaffrey, a former winner of the bowl, went down before G. P. Roxburgh, and the latter's progress if unobtrusive has been decidedly real. Jaffrey, of course, was at a disadvantage, having sustained an injury to his ankle.

When from the first tee W. J. Davidge hit a sizzling drive far down towards the first green, it seemed that the stage was set for a good match between he and C. S. Galloway. Appearances, h6wever, were deceptive, as Davidge's putting broke down. Unquestionably one of the finest players, it is a tragedy that Davidge should be experiencing such a wretched time on the greens.

Owing to the circumstance* it was deemed wise to omit the short eleventh iV - holes in the afternoon, and Ninth s 30 tor the eight holes allowed him to nick up five strokes from Let ham. The performances of these youthful players, together witii R. Gladings 70 in the Edwin i P Andrews on Saturday, make happy reading. J. H. Young, though outshone in the morning by Pelham and j. 1 . 1 .*.' l'layed one of his characteristically brilliant rounds after lunch, when the conditions were if anything worse than during the morning. Amongst the professionals Alex Murray again revealed himself the master, with the veteran E. J. Moss and W. Albon as runners-up. _ The lesson to' be learned tiom it all is the definite upgrade in local amateur golt. Never before have our amateurs thrown out so consistent a challenge to the professionals as recently. Especially is this true when the quality of Murray s total is fully analysed. Stablet'ord bogeys played on different principles can give queer results. On first glance an intriguing position is created in the winning four-ball Stableford totals at North Shore and Middlemore respectively. The apparent discrepancy is explained in that at Middlemore the event was a best ball, and at North Shore an aggregate Stableford. • McCoy, the winning P a ' r at Miduleinore, played well for their total, the former having contributed mainly to the win. * The full course was in play, and included in J. L. McCoy's approximate 77 was a holed approach for a 3 at the diflicuit fifth hole, which meant lour points. A former track champion, McCoy was i nierly club champion at I afaKiira au.i ;>layed at Titirangi before . joining Middiemore.

It is at about this time of the season that H. E. Nicholas usually emerges to annex championship honours at Pupuke and his play at Hamilton and on Saturday suggests that he is again on the warpath. The secret of Nicholaus' successes would I seem to lie not so much in his long—very long, may one say—hitting, as in his ability to call up that extra effort in difficulty. To say that on the occasion of the Town v. Country match Nicholaus' hitting struck fear into the hearts of his opponents, is to put it mildly. If there was a surprise at Akarana it was I. W. Houston's win from T. J. Lawson in the final of the Edwards' trophy. Not that Houston is not able from handicap, but that for a long time major success has eluded him. Something the same is true of Lawson, who as a very recent recruit to the game has progressed wonderfully. His 79 for a 1 up lead in the Doming round of the final followed very sound golf, as play on Sunday was unpleasant enough in all conscience. Usually a deadly putter, Lawson'a green work fell away in the afternoon, and Houston, though he played a number of his holes badly, thrust his errors behind him to turn a 2 down deficit at the twenty-seventh to lup at the thirty-fifth. That slender lead he retained at the thirty-sixth, which was halved in fives. Houston's win was deserved, following as it did a long period of endeavour. To Lawson one may say well done. If I read his character aright he will again come up smiling. Curiously enough one who took up the game along with Lawson, N. Anderson had an excellent win in Saturday's medal. Anderson has the eye for games, and once he gains confidence with his wooden clubs will go on to better things. Well worthy of mention too is J. Linton's 77—4—73 in the I match under review. Linton was the only player to have bettered 80.

oecoiul on the list. P. C. Savage and A. h. M. Khind had the very satisfactory total or 42. It was Savage's 73—an excellent round which buiic up the points. At North Shore both Latt.y Johnston and R. X. VVhjte played really well, as their score of 50, 10—<»3 implies. Johnston s golt is very encouiaging and a good future for him in the game is prophesied. He is sound in iron play which, generally speaking, is the acid test amongst amateurs. Not content with his win of Saturday, -Johnston had a sparkling 73 on Sunday.

Jubilee Cup semi-finals were full of thrills even it in one match the quality of the golf fell away somewhat. W. Wheeler, a young player having an excellent swing ami a fine range of shots, engaged the more experienced J. A. Penman in the rarest of duels. Well though Penman played, and he met his young rival on practically equal terms, he was able to win only 1 up. In the other game G. Heale, a long marker, was helped in his mission by H. Stevens having" l 'played one of his few poor rounds. The final on Sunday provided a Kreat match in which Heale, in receipt of 14 strokes, lowered his colours early at the nineteenth.. With honours so nearly equal at the end of a long drawn match play event, it would be unfair to differentiate. The performances of the pair were indeed worthy.

Taylor Bowl matches at Titirangi were an admixture of good struggles and rout. R. R. McCrystal, in starting well against R. E. Alpe, appeared to have the whip hand, this despite faulty driving. Alpe, however, played the short fourth and long fifth excellently, having shortish putts for birdies and winning both. McCrystal, though by this time in hie stride, found it impossible to concede strokes and by the time the eleventh was played was 2 down. He regained a hole with a grand birdie 4 at "The Wrecker," but became 2 down again at the fifteenth, where Alpe had a stroke. The end came at the sixteenth and never were the glorious uncertainties better exemplified. Alpe's second was bunkered and McCrystal, left with a grand opening, fluffed his second. His third was on, but short of the flag. Alpe recovered excellently and when McCrystal failed with his putt Alpe promptly holed the 4 to take the hole and the match.

The proof of the pudding, however, is in the eating. Alpe's round was an 81 from the 13 mark. Alpe next meets J. S. Callinan, who the previous round eliminated E. Ohlson, whose chances had been rated highly.

F. G. Alpe carried on family tradition in defeating T. Stone, though the latter made a good match of it. Four down in