GOLF.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13231, 26 September 1908, Page 10

GOLF.

DUNEDIN MEETING.

THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP.

(tr_ri_- to "the rnnss ") DUNEDIN, September 23. T.vo Christchurch players, Lusk and Trolove, survived the third round, and a third, Sams, died very hard, being only beaten by a stroke at the 19th hole (ho and Holmes havina been all square at tho end of the round), after doing the extra hole in 4, or 1 better than Bogey. Lusk's victory over Fisher was si_iilarly narrow, but in tho afternoon he beat Sams for conqueror after a close go. Trolove, whom tho draw' had favoured right through, proved, rather better than Turnbuli, but in the afternoon, when he had to meet Hamilton Smith, ho mot more than his match, and at one time looked liko going to pieces. It was rather a surprise to most that ho and Holmes got into tho semi-finals, but both men undoubtedly rose to tho occasion, and played above their form. Tho meeting of Lusk and Smith in tho final to-mor-row is causing great interest, tho local man beins slightly the better favourite. AIIATEFE CHAMPION-HIP. Third Round. H. B. Irask (Christchurch) beat A. EC. "Fisher (Otago). at tbe 13ih hole. C. C. .Holme- (ilssterton) beat C. K. Sams (Chrietcknrch). at 19th holo. H. C. Smith (Otago) beat J. Forbes (St. C!_ir), 2 np. P. Troteve (Christchurch) beat W.. 31. Turnbuli (Ota_o), 3 up ar.d 1 io go. Semi-finals. Liwk beat Holmes, 2 up. H. C. Smith beat Trolove, 6 up and 5 io go. Tho crowd followed the Smith v Forbes game in tho marring, and saw a closo go. Forbes was 1 up at the Ofch fcole, but Smith took the next two. Smith's putting fell away, or was unlucky, and they were all square with 4 to go. Tlio next two were halved, and Smith won the last two in 4 and 3 respectively. Lusk arid Fisher had a closo go all tho way. Lus& won tho Ist hole through Fisher missing a putt. Tho 2nd was halved. Fisher won the 3rd in 3 (Bogey 4), but Lusk regained a lead of 1 tin >by winning the 4th The next two holes wero halved, but Fisher won tho 7th and Bth, and as tho 9tlh was halved, Fisher was 1 up at tho turn. Lusk won tho lOtli in 4, Fisher again missing a short putt, but Fisher won the 11th. Lusk, however, took tho next threo holes,, and gained a lead of 2 up. As the 15tih and 16tih holes, were halved,Lusk was dormy 2, bub Fisher -won the last two holes in 4 and 3, and at,the end of the round it was all square (Fisher having done tho round in 85 to Lust's 86). They played an _xtr_ hole, and Fisher had the bad luck to drive out of bounds. However, he got hi_ tihird shot close to the h«-»le. Lutsk's second shot lay in. the bunker, but ho made an excellent recovery, and won the liole in o, and tho match. The driving cf both men all . through was -pleoidSd, and in their general play hardily amistak« was in_de, but Fisher's putting lest him the match. Another closo game was that between Holmes and Sains. Holimes won the 2nd, -bh/ernd* 7th holes, and Sams the 3rd, Btih, and 9th, the Ist, ,4th, and sth being halved; so that the players were all square at the turn. After, tie 11th hole, Holmes,was 2 down. Ho won the Swamp hole and the gorge, but lost the 15th, He was then 1 down a_ri 2 to go, but 'he won the 17th in 4', and- halved tho 18th in 3. Playing the extra hole ,Ho_mes won by a _troke. ■'■'■■'•' -,*.■■■"■■--' Trolore maintained tho splendid form ho has shown at times this week, andput down W. M. Turnbuli by the biggest margin in' the round;. - Ho 'v> was--2 up at tho turn. The next hole .was harre-and Turnbuli won the 11th, and the 12th was halved; Turnbuli won. the Anderston hole, and ; the ;swamp • was halved. At th© next hole Trolove got into the -rashes, and Turnbuli won. At the 17th hole Turnbuli had tho;0 badluck to drive too close to the, hedge. Trolove got in a fine second,: and l --as Turnbuli missed hie, and put; it into the r__h.es, ho picked- up, and Trio-love won 2 up and 1 to go. Trolove.has dono very well for a player who started golf only two years ago cat the wrong side of fifty. His play up to this stage was a 'tribute to the excellence.-: of Herd' 9' tuition. - •'.-■; ■ '■..': ■.-- - The meeting of H. C. Smith and Trolov» in the semi-finals in the afternoon proved a soft thing for the Otago man, who played in his. best form until- lie had established a big lead, after which he took matters easier; Trolove, on the other hand, played below the'best form he has shown during the week. Except for a breakdown here and - there, his long game was verygood, and where ho failed most was on the putting greens, especially with his short putts, many of his approaches putts being quite good enough. Ho had bad Tuck in being-stymied by Smithat ono hole. Tlio holes were as follow-:—The Ist was halved in S; Smith won - the 2nd in 5; the 3rd in 3, lost tho 4th, won the JStb, 6th, 7th and-:Bth in 3, 4, 5,----and 3. respectively; and the 9th was halved" in 5. Smith was thus 5-up at the turn. -{The 10th hole was halved; Trolove won tho 11th, and Smith .the 12th and 13th in 4, 4, and o, : respeci tivcly, thus making the match 6 up and o to go. A much closer gamo was put up by Lusk and Holmes. Lusk took tho Ist hole in 4, Hc|mes losing two stir.kfs by getting into tho rushes. Lusk topped his drive to the second, but managed to win the hol» in 5 awing to Holmes overrunning the green twice. Tho third hole was halved in an uneventful 4. At tho fourth holo both were on tho green 3, but Lusk took 3 more to hole out, and Holmes won in 5. Tho next holo was halved in-4, and at the 6th both men were again on-tho green in 3, but Holmes holed out in ono more and iron, making it all square. At-th'o 7th hole Holmes got up for tho first time. He pulled his drivo, but made two fino cleek shots, and holed out in 5 to Lusk's 6. Holmc3 also won tho next holo in 4, Lusk missing his putt. At tKo 9th holo Holmes again pulled his drivo and $3;ofc under a fence, and had to knock it out with bis second, Lu3k winning ,tho holo in 5. Holmes was thus 1 up at tho turn. Up to this point the play, considering the wind, had been exceptionally good, especially tho driving." Going to. the 10th hole, Luak topped his driro and got into tho ditch. However, ho got h_j third on the green with a brassio stroke, and as Holmes failed with two iron shots in succession, Lusk halved tho hole with a long putt. Lusk won" tho next hole in 7, both men getting into tremble at different stages. Starting all square again for tho 12th holo, Lnik got on tho green in 2, Holmes overrunning with his approach. Lusk holed out in 4. getting a lead of 1 up. Lusk also Won tho next hole in 4, holing a long putt. At tho 14th holo Holmes pulled hi 3 drive, but played a beautiful second. Lurk's approach overran into tho ditch, and Holmes won the hole in 5. being then 1 down. Playing to tho 10th hole, Holmes sliced his drivo into some rushes, and as diligent search failed to find tho ball; ho had to enbmit to adverse fate and lose the hole, gettins* 2 down again. Playing to the 16th bole, L_3K topped his drivo into the rushes, but got out with a nibbHck. Holmes, however, made two bad iron shots, and tho hole was halved in 5. Lusk was now dormy 2. Both started for tho 17th hole with fine drives, but Lusk's second was short of the green, whilo Holmes was well on tho green, and tho latter won the hole in 4. Lusk was now dormy 1. At the last bole Holmes topped his drive, but escaped trouble, the" ball stopping short of the ditch protecting the green. .His second

'F*?. tbropgh the green, and ho n-saed holing with his third. Lusk, who had got on the green, in 2, holed "out in 3, and won tho match" 2 up. . In the afternoon a bo_e.r handicap was played, the winner turning up in £ *. Roberts from scratch, with 3'upW bogey. Roberts did a fine round of <B t equalling tho record for the. link,.; Ho went out in 41 and homo i>i a remarkably fino score of 37. Others tohand in good cards were:—G. F. \nn- ; strong (sex) 2 up, C. Turnbuli (hen 2}-: 1 up, H. E. .T\ right (ser) all square" C.' K. bams (ben 2) all square, and H. D Stronach (hen 2) all square.