AUSTRALIA WINS TASMAN CUP

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27177, 22 October 1953, Page 12

AUSTRALIA WINS TASMAN CUP

5-2 MARGIN OVER NEW ZEALAND FOURSOMES AND SINGLES PLAY AT BELMONT (New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, October 21. The Australian women’s Rolf team won the Tasman Cup at Belmont today. It beat New Zealand by 5 games to 2, winning both the morning’s foursomes games and three of the five singles matches played in the afternoon. In all their matches the Australians studied position and planned their shots with greater deliberation than did the New Zealanders, and appeared to take their game more seriously. The best match was the foursomesmatch between Misses Maxine Bishop and Judith Percy (Australia) and Misses Margaret Hughes and Zoe Hudson (New Zealand), won 1 up at the eighteenth by the Australians. There was an . extraordinary run of halved holes, and it was probably the most exciting women's game ever seen on.the Belmont course.

Throughout the match Only five holes were won. The New Zealanders went into an early lead, winning the third hole with a bogey fourx but the match was squared three holes later, and it remained square until the ninth hole, where Australia took the lead for the first time with a bogey four against a six. At the first hole on the homeward run the New Zealanders squared, and from there until the eighteenth hole the issue was in doubt.

The gallery of 300 or 400 became excited at the seventeenth green when it appeared that New Zealand would take,a hard-earned lead. Wood shots by both sides went In the same bunker. Miss Hughes recovered safely, but Miss Percy gave her shot far too much force and the ball went across the green into another bunker. But Miss Bishop played a brilliant shot to within a foot or so of the hole to ensure a half in five. From the eighteenth tee Miss Hudson’s drive went into the rough, but Miss Bishop’s went straight down the fairway. The second shots were placed together, and Miss Bishop chipped on for three. Miss Hudson was just short, and a long putt from the edge of the green by Miss Hughes was about 4ft short. Miss Percy tried to hole with a long putt, but , narrowly failed, and the New Zealanders gave the next putt. Miss Hudson needed to hole a 4ft putt to halve in five, but missed. The other foursomes match fluctuated greatly. At the seventh hole Misses Nash and Blundell were 5 up on Miss Anstee and Mrs Gowing, but shortly after, at the ninth hole, the change began. Miss Blundell,, who had been playing faultlessly, missed a putt for a half after striking the cup. Thereafter, the Australians dominated the game. Play In Singles The singles match between Miss Bishop and Miss Hughes was the most interesting of the afternoon. Miss Hughes, making more mistakes than in any of her' earlier matches, lost 4 and 2. She had to concede the second hole—seven was the least number of strokes she could have taken. Miss Bishop took the third in scratch figures, and held her 2 up advantage until the seventh hole, which Miss Hughes won with a scratch four. Miss Bishop was still 1 up at the turn. At the eleventh hole Miss Hughes went into a bunker with her approach shot, and - exploded from it right through the green. She conceded the hole. She took the short twelfth in three. Four more holes were played, and three were won by Miss Bishop. Miss Percy, in beating Miss Hudson, showed mastery on the greens. Miss Percy was 3 up at the ninth hole. Miss Anstee's game with Miss Blundell was uneventful, and there were many halved holes. Miss Blundell failed to win two holes that could have been considered certainties—at both she missed 4ft putts.

Miss Nash, the first New Zealander to win, beat Miss Barratt, 4 and 3. The other New Zealander to win was Mrs Dolan, who beat Mrs Gowing at the nineteenth. This match also was notable for its series of halved holes. Results were—

Foursomes.—Misses M. Bishop (Western Australia) and J, Percy (Queensland) beat Misses M. Hughes (Auckland) and Z. Hudson (Christchurch), 1 up; Miss J. Anstee (Victoria) find Mrs E. Gowing (New South Wales) beat Misses A. Nash (Manawatu) and D. Blundell (Mount Maunganui). 2 and 1. Singles.—Miss Bishop beat Miss Hughes, 4 and 2; Miss Percy beat Miss Hudson, 4 and 3; Miss Anstee beat Miss Blundell, 2 and 1; Miss Nash beat Miss J. Barratt (South Australia), 4 and 3; Mrs J. Dolan (Dimedin) beat Miss Gowing at the nineteenth.