N.Z. WOMEN’S TITLE

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26887, 13 November 1952, Page 2

N.Z. WOMEN’S TITLE

GOLF

MISSES HUGHES AND SMITH IN FINAL

MISS HUDSON BEATEN 4 AND 2

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, November 12.

Playing superb golf against an experienced tournament player. Miss Margaret Hughes, aged 27, of Titirangi, beat Miss Zoe Hudson (Christchurch) 4 and 2 today to enter the final of the New Zealand women’s singles championship. Another Auckland player, Miss Claire Smith (Manukau) beat Miss Doreen Blundell (Mount Maunganui) 3 and 2 in the other semi-final. The final will be played over 36 holes tomorrow.

Both Miss Hughes and Miss Hudson played well but the mistakes of the Christchurch player robbed her of any chance of beating her younger opponent. Miss Smith began brilliantly against Miss Blundell, but the latter fought back tenaciously. The game ended at the sixteenth. At this hole. Miss Smith’s tee-shot rolled across the green and entered the cup, but the ball had too much way on and jumped back on to the green, finishing about six inches from the pin.

Showers fell during the matches. The fairways were still sodden and the greens were fast. The standard of play in the final matches was very high. All four were well matched, but putting lapses accounted for both Mi e s Hudson and Miss Blundell. The match between Misses Hughes and Hudson produced accurate golf. Miss Hughes, in particular, kept her ball straight down the fairways and only once caught the edge of the rough. She played a wood . for many long second shots, and in the conditions this paid more dividends than the iron favoured by Miss Hudson. Miss Hughes was perfectly calm throughout the match and displayed an ideal golf temperament. Miss Hudson Fails on Greens Early in the game. Miss Hudson was inclined to hook her ball slightly, but brilliant recovery shots kept her up with Miss Hughes when the greens were reached. But on the greens Miss Hudson had many lapses, and it was there that Miss Hughes picked up strokes. The first two holes were halved, and Miss Hudson had a chance to win the third, but she failed with a five-footer. Miss Hughes took the lead at the fifth with a bogey 5 after Miss Hudson threeputted for a 6. Miss Hudson had the advantage at the ninth after Miss Hughes’s ball rolled down a hill into a hollow below the green. Miss Hughes chipped to within about six feet of the hole and sank a good putt. Miss Hudson missed a two-footer and the hole was won bj' Mi r s Hughes with a bogey 4. Miss Hughes went out in 40, three over par, and was 2 up at the turn. Miss Hudson carded a 42. Miss Hughes went to 3 up at the eleventh with a par 5. At the fourteenth Miss Hughes went to 4 up, just missing a birdie 4 after two Jcng woods to the green. Miss Hudson won the next when ML,s Hughes caught the rough, but the game ended on the sixteenth when Miss Hughes scored a par 3. Miss Smith’s Early Lead Miss Smith began brilliantly from the first hole, scoring a birdie 4, and she never surrendered the lead to the sixteenth green where the game ended with a near hole-in-one. Miss Smith was hitting the ball with a great deal of power She was inclined to be a little bold in her approach shots and short chips, and frequently ran past the pin. After being 2 down with two holes played, Miss Blun-; dell gave nothing away. She was topping the ball during the early stages, but she managed to eliminate this fault later. She kept the ball along the middle of the fairways and played a tenacious game against a more experienced opponent. Miss B.uudi.lt won he seventh, to be 1 down at the turn. Both had completed the first half in 40. Miss B'undell squ ired ihe match at the twelfth, wh n Miss Smith’s drive strayed into the rough, but she ost a stroke at tre n xt and at the fifteerth. She had no chance against the perfect tee-shot o f Miss Smi h on the six.-, enth She conceded the pult to Mss Smith after her long putt rrUss d, and the game was over. Results:— Singles.—Semi-finals: Miss M. Hugi.es (Titirangi) beat Miss Z. Hudson (Christchurch), 4 and 2: Miss C. Smith (Manukau) beat Miss D. Blundell (Mount Maunganui). 3 and 2. Ne.v Zealand Plate.—Semi finals: Mrs S. S. Wilson (Auckland) beat Mrs L. Hastedt Auckland), 1 up; Miss N. Beveil/y Matam.ta) beat Mrs S. F. O’Connor ■Ham-1t0..), 2 and 1. Tne New Zealand championship rour:g- res, dec : ded over one round because if the wathar earlier in the week, were won by Miss M. Hughes (Titirangi) and Mrs S. S. Wilson (Auckland). Mrs J. E. alisbury, partnered by Miss M. McCalum, both of Invercargill, won the handicap event. Miss Hughes and Mrs Wilson returned a gross 80 for the round, and th s was one stoke better than the card veiurned by Misses Z. Hudson and E. M. Nutt, boih of C.hri tchurch. Al hough the winners’ net score was equal to that of the Invercargill pair in the handicap event, it is not. pos c ible to win both events. Championship scopes were:—Miss M. Hughes andl Mrs S. S. Wilson, 80; Miss Z. Hudson and Miss E. M. Nutt, 81; M s W E. Henley and Mrs R. Fullerton -Smith. 84; Mrs J. E. Salisbury and Miss M. McCallum, 85; Mrs R. G. Glenville and Mrs H A. Murray. 85; Mrs R. G. Edwrrd and Miss K. Johnston. 86; M s R. F. Hutchinson and Miss A. Nash, 86.

Handicap Fou som s—Mrs J. E. Salisbury and Mss M. McCallum, 85. 8—77; Miss M Hughes and Mrs S S. Wilson, 80, ?—77: Miss Z. Hudson and Miss E. M. Nutt. 81, 3—78; Mrs W. E. Henley and Mrs R. Fullerton-Smith, 84. 5—79; Mrs R. G. Edward and Miss K. Johnston. 86, 7—79: Mrs J. G"een and Miss N. Gilkison, 93, 13—79: Mrs G. L. Morris and Mrs L. N. Smith, 92. 13—79-