NOTES ON THE PLAY

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25955, 8 November 1949, Page 6

NOTES ON THE PLAY

MRS FULLERTON-SMITH BEATEN

From Our Own Reporter INVERCARGILL, Nov. 7. Conditions were pleasant for the New Zealand women’s golf championships today until late in the afternoon, when a strong, cold wind blew across the course. The day was marked by the fine score of Mrs J. Ball in the L.G.U. challenge bowl, the defeat of Mrs R. S. Fullerton-Smith by Miss P. Borthwick, of Sydney, and the defeat of Miss B. Cheney, of Victoria, by Miss R. Hodges, of Auckland. Miss Hodges had slightly the better of the long game and Miss Cheney, whose putting was deadly in the high wind on Saturday afternoon, to-day missed four putts of six feet and shorter. At the seventh she laid Miss Hodges a stymie, which the Auckland player failed to negotiate. Miss Hodges won the twelfth and thirteenth in birdies, and the match ended at the fourteenth. Miss Hodges was two under the scratch score for the 14 holes.

Mrs Ball was once again slow to settle down in her match against Mrs W. Henley, who started dashingly and scored two birdies in the first three holes and was 2up after playing the third. Then Mrs Ball got into her stride. §he made up the leeway and went ahead to be 2 up at the turn. She was out in 38 to Mrs Henley’s 40. At the eleventh and twelfth Mrs Henley secured halves, stymying her opponent on both greens. Mrs Ball won the thirteenth with a birdie, and also the fourteenth, making her dormie 4. She took the match with a win at the fifteenth. To-morrow she will meet Miss J. Percy, of Queensland. Miss M. Elliott (Dunedin), who jumped into the limelight on Saturday by beating Mrs G. W. Hollis in the second round of the championship, failed to-day to produce that form and was beaten by Miss J. Percy (Queensland), 8 and 7. Miss Percy was one under par for the outward half.

Miss Fletcher’s Putting Her putting saved Miss J. Fletcher in her match with Mrs P. R. Glanville, who was beaten 2 and 1. Miss Fletcher was bunkered five times in the round. Both went out in 40 and were square at the turn. Mrs Glanville took the lead at the twelfth. Then Miss Fletcher won the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth, and halved the sixteenth and seventeenth to take the match.

Skill in dealing with stymies was shown by Miss M. Bishop (West Australia), who beat Mrs P. Andrew (Titirangi). 7 and 5. She had to contend with three stymies within 12 inches of the hole and twice she played round her opponent’s ball and dropped into the hole. She was out in 39.

Two Christchurch players. Miss Z. Hudson and Miss V. Fleming, met to-day, with Miss Hudson in good form and Miss Fleming, as usual, playing her short game accurately. Miss Hudson took the lead at the first hole. The next three holes were halved. Miss Fleming three-putted at the fifth and lost the hole. She won back at tlie sixth, where Miss Hudson failed with her drive, but Miss Hudson had a birdie at the next to be 2 up at the eighth. Miss Fleming was stymied and lost the At the ninth Miss Hudson's drive found a ditch at the side of the fairway, and this cost her the hole. She was out in 38. Miss Fleming was again stymied at the eleventh. Miss Hudson increased her lead to win at the fifteenth. A big gallery followed the match between Mrs Fullerton-Smith and Miss Borthwick, and were treated to a fine exhibition of graceful golf. The match went to the eighteenth, where Miss Borthwick won, 1 up. There was little between the players. Miss Borthwick was out in 40 and home in 39. Mrs Fullerton-Smith was out in 41 and home in 39. Mrs FullertonSmith won the second hole and Miss Borthwick squared the game at the fourth and won the fifth. The next four holes were halved. At the tenth, where Mrs Fullerton-Smith was on the green with her second. Miss Borthwick was in a shallow bunker. She played out on to the green. Mrs Fullerton-Smith, putting first holed a 15-footer for a birdie 3 »and a win to square the match again. The eleventh was halved, but Miss Borthwick won the twelfth with a birdie and also the thirteenth.

Miss Borthwick’s Recovery At the dog-leg fourteenth (436 yards). Mrs Fullerton-Smith took the better line and Miss Borthwick struck the trees with her second, the ball bouncing on to the fairway. Her third was short. Mrs Fuller-ton-Smith hit the .pin with her third, but it went on to the edge of the green. She took two putts and Miss Borthwick halved the hole. She had chipped close and holed her putt. The- fifteenth was halved. At the sixteenth Mrs Fullerton-Smith, for the first time, was off the line, her drive catching the edge of the rough. She cut out neatly and was on in three. Miss Borthwick was bunkered with her second and took 6 for the hole. Mrs Fuller-ton-Smith winning with a 5 to be 1 down. The short seventeenth was halved in threes. At the eighteenth (365 yards) both were on the green with beautiful seconds. Mrs Fullerton-Smith was nearer the hole, but her putt was short. Miss Borthwick was well up and the hole was halved in

Miss Borthwick will meet Miss Fletcher.

Mrs H. Murray (Miramar) had an easy win against Miss J. Cliff (Manawatu). The Canterbury players remaining in the New Zealand Plate are Miss H. Buchanan (who to-morrow will play Mis«= B Kernot, of Victoria), and Miss E. Parsons of Hanmer Springs, who will play Mrs L. W. Smith. Other survivors are Miss M. Hughes, Mrs C. Jacobson, Miss P Guest, and Mrs P. Mac Diarmid. Tho Ladies* Golf Union Challenge Bowl for the best net score in a medal round played m the afternoon was won by Mrs Ball, with a gross score of 74. Her handicap is 3. giving her a net score of 71 Her score would have won the trophy for the best gross score, but. as the same player is not eligible for both, the prize for the best gross score went to Miss Fletcher, with 77.

Other good scores yere:—Mrs G. Chapman. 84, 10—74; Miss K. Rutherford. 82. 7—75: Mtss C. Smith. 80. 4—76. Good scores in the junior division were:—Mrs E. A Osborne (St. Clair), 89 16—73; Miss N. Gilkison. 87. 11—76; Mrs J. C. Templer. 91. 14—77; Miss E. WhiteParsons, 89. 11—78.

The Seafield Cup teams’ match was won by the Wanganui Club. Miss J. Duncan, Mrs Ball, and Mrs Fullerton-Smith, with a score of 228. Eighteen teams, including a team from Christchurch, entered for the competition. The Christchurch A team (Misses Z. Hudson. V. Fleming, and E. Nutt), scored 237.

L.G.U. ANNUAL MEETING "The Press” Special Service INVERCARGILL. Nov. 7. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Ladies’ Golf Union this evening. Miss L. Lucas, of Nelson, was elected president in succession to Mrs L. Seifert, who held the position for the last two years. Miss Lucas was president in 1946 and 1947. It was decided that the Dominion championship tournament should lie held next year in Hastings, the autumn foursomes at Shirley, and the Veterans’ match at Manukau. Auckland.