SOUTH ISLAND GOLF TITLES

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27796, 22 October 1955, Page 3

SOUTH ISLAND GOLF TITLES

Although the South Island golf championships have not always had a sufficiently wide representation of entries to make the title a really accurate one, there is a fairly strong contingent of players from the south in the tournament which will begin at Templeton today. The Canterbury championships are being played in conjunction with the South Island event.

Among the most interesting of the visitors is I. S. Harvey, the young Timaru player, who is now down to a handicap of one. The demands of secondary school have prevented Harvey from getting as much tournament play as golfers would like to see him obtain, for he is a player of outstanding promise. His advance may not be rapid until he leaves his student days behind him, but he is a remarkably able youth, and success in this tournament is certainly not beyond him.

The title-holder, C. J. Ward, will be , playing, and if he seldom finishes on ( top in stroke events, he is almost i certain to qualify and in the match play he will again be hard to beat. A. R. Timms, the noted Otago and New Zealand representative, and R. C. Murray, also of Otago who played well at the 1954 national championship, are in the field, and so are G. P. Vesty, another most promising young player, and J. B. Forrest, both of Timaru. The Canterbury players include M. W. Stanley, recent winner of the Russley Club’s championship, K. D. Foxton, winner of the North Canterbury title, L. J. James, a former Canterbury champion, D. C. Watson, R. D. Kearns, who finished prominently in the recent sponsored tournament at Paraparaumu, J G. Scott, M. R. Blank, I. B. Cromb and H. W. Lawrence. R. J. Ramsay, who has come down to a handicap of two quickly, his brother D. J. Ramsay, and H. J. Gosset are others : who should do well. Gosset is returning to major tournaments after a i prolonged absence through injury. He was a finalist last year.

It was disappointing that R. E. Clements and C. W. Caldwell did not enter. They are the province’s two leading players. Another familiar name missing from the list is that of A. R. Blank, but this can surely have been brought about only through mischance; a championship without him is rather like Cathedral square without Godley.

The championships will be played in three grades, the senior for players from scratch to 4, intermediate from 5 to 10, and junior from 11 to 24. There will £ e ? wo Qualifying rounds today, match-play tomorrow and the semifinals and finals on Monday.