From Tee To Green

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 156, 3 July 1940, Page 16

From Tee To Green

A characteristic Plumley victory . . that truly sums up tilie final of the captain's prize at Midillemore, when H. Plumley defeated V. Wilson in a first-class final on Che eighteentl) green. Outplayed to the green at several holes in the second half, and 1 down, the winner plaved with the tenacity that has marked his plav over a long career; he fairly worried Wilson out of success with his lelentless approaching and putting. Features of bhe early stage of the game were the seconds that I lumley played to the fourth and fifth greens to win the holes in 4, and his lapse trom just off the edge at the eig-htli where his opponent undei-clubbed and was bunkered. That lapse of the winner's was not characteristic. Though it looked a vital error it was proved that Plumley had saved his trumps for "the kill "

Wilson led at the turn, where I'mpire «ruce .Menziee haU to tee PlunileVs t>all uj> tor hnu under the tree* (the clean and place rule goes even to that extent at Middlemore), Wilson not needing his stroke. 1 lumley hooked his second into the creek at the eleventh and wats 2 down, and had still to concede a stroke. The od*lw were on « ilson. btrt he immediately lost the twelfth toy slicing into the trees, and although Wilson got a scratchy 5 with a very useful putt. Plum-lev rose to the occasion to get lite four with one putt. Wilson was in trouble at the fourteenth blinker, and Plumley holed another good putt for the win and squared the game. Bunkered at the fifteenth, and conceding a stroke, it appeared that Plinn-lev would lose that hole as Wilson was on with his second. It waa Plumley, however, who got the four, Wilson, after his opponent's fine recovery, missing a short putt.

Still another chance come to Wilson at the sixteenth, but he could not get down in two putts and Plumley got a very timely half. Just over the back of the seventeenth green In two, and Plumley bunkered again, it seemed that the tide had turned. Again it was Plumley who got the four with a grand pitch over the bunker, and now he was in front. Wilson played the hurt hole well, only to see his opponent get a half in 4. after being trapped in the bunker with his tee shot, and not on in two. The loser certainly had his opportunities, and may consider himself unlucky to lose. Against any other player in the same difficulties the result would have been different. But there you are—he had to contend against those grand recoveries and uneering putting that had won Plumley many n match. And that's reviving history. Plumley won the event in 1927 and 1930. about the same time that he tacked the Rotorua open championship and the Auckland Club championship to his belt.

"Xot me." replied H. P. Cnllen. of Akarnna. when he was offered congratulations for holing an ace at the eleventh at Titirangi on Sunday. "F. J. Cullen was the culprit." In any case this would have been a most inappropriate time for Hugh -to hole in one as he has been -.inder the doctor's orders for a couple of mouths. His namesake came from Gishorne to Akarana last season and hit the limelight when he took Pax Smith to the seventeenth lu the June championship. Both the Cullens play on 6.

J«©t unexpected was H. Tipton's success in the 54-fcole medal contest for the Roskill Cap, and it was due consolation for his defeat in the major match play •rvent the previous week-end. Tipton put his best foot forward to maintain the lead he had established In the event, his net 71 being the best of his three rounds—and he had dropped from 22 to 18. There's another np—and coming—golfer among the long markers at Akarana in C. F. Macpiiersou. who was runner-up. five strokes behind Tipton. He is breaking in a new set of clubs to some purpose and won't be in the twenties much longer.

H. J. Preston, in consequence of his good second round in the president's prize at North Shore, is awaiting prize day for H. Ilrt)ertson to do the honours. Preston, it will -be recalled, struck a heap of trouble in the first round at the last two holes and ended np two strokes behind the leader. A. J. Weir. The pair set out to play the deciding round together, and at the very first hole Weir slipped his lead when he took a 5. Preston was the pacemaker throughout the duel and eventually carded a net 09. two under bis handicap of 14. That gave him a comfortable margin of live strokes in the aggregate over AV. C. Wheeler, last season's club champion. Best ronnd of the day was the ", of J. A. Penman, who. if he does" not rise to brilliant heights, is one of the club's steadiest players.

Back at North Shore as a visitor L. Johnson, now of Akarana. played a round of 72 on Sunday in a four-ball, and prolmoly his only regret is that he did not pick another visitor, who carded a net 70. as bis partner instead of an opponent. Johnson, still in his teens, has all the shots in his bag. With W. Macindoe he holds the amateur counse record for the North Shore

The disqualification of 23 year-old Ed. Oliver for starting before his time after tieing Lawson Little and Gene Sarazen with 287 in the recent American open is discussed in the "Chicago Sunday Tribune" which arrived to-day.

There was almost as much commotion over the disqualification of Oliver as there was about the finishing rounds of Sarazen and Little, says the "Tribune." It got to a point where citizens were scurrying about, joining Sarazen and Little in signing a petition to keep Oliver in the play off. The rotund Delaware native who did nicely through his last winter circuit made no complaints, probably because he was misinformed about the aforesaid rule of the U.S.G.A.. which reads:—

"Competitors shall start in the order and at the times arranged by the commit-, tee. They shall not discontinue play nor delay to start on account of bad weather, or for any reason whatever, except such as the committee may consider satisfactory. Penalty, disqualification."

There was no doubt about the tragic effect of the disqualification. The U.S.G.A.. however, is not to he blamed, for the rule is rather plain. Oliver took the matter a trifle hard at first, but then resigned himself to the situation quickly, and that was all there was to it. However, it's no pleasure to any player to shoot a 70 and a 71. three under par I! 6 holes, as the stout Oliver did, and then to be disqualified.