GOLF First Rounds Of Match Title Played At Shirley

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28162, 28 December 1956, Page 8

GOLF First Rounds Of Match Title Played At Shirley

R. D. Kearns, winner of the amateur stroke championship on the first day of the tournament, A. I. Charles, father of a former New Zealand open champion, C. W. Caldwell, winner of the stroke championship on two previous occasions, and K. D. Foxton; of the Russley club, will contest the semi-finals this morning of the Christchurch amateur match championship at Shirley. In spite of heavy rain during most of the day, the players yesterday found the conditions very pleasant compared with the strong north-west wind encountered on the first day of the tournament. By the middle of the afternoon, the rain had taken a good deal of run from the course, and this made putting easier. Although the conditions were better than on the first day, this was- not reflected in better golf by many of the competitors. Yesterday. Kearns maintained his reputation for fine drives down the middle of the fairways, and extremely accurate putting He hits the ball in an effortless fashion, yet his accuracy and control are most consistent. He has made two putts of at least 30ft during the tournament, and yesterday gained an eagle 3 at the eighth. His game with Foxton this morning should be particularly interesting, for both are very accurate with their seconds to the greens. Kearns Beats McGillivray

Kearns showed glimpses of his brilliant, form of Wednesday in his first-round match against A. J. McGillivray, whose handicap is 4. Kearns began the round in fine style to take the first hole with a delicate 30ft putt to give him a birdie 3. He also took the second after his opponent had bunkered twice. He won the third and halved the fourth and fifth. The rest of the round was played confidently, and Kearns maintained a lead throughout. Kearns’s afternoon game against J. G. Mangan, a Christchurch Club player, who played particularly well at last year’s tournament, was very close and interesting. It was one of the best of the tournament, with Mangan playing very steady golf to be 1 up at the third. Improving his approach shots, Kearns won the fourth, fifth and sixth holes in scratch scores, and made a magnificent putt at the eighth, to take the hole with an eagle 3. Mangan was undeterred by the play of his opponent, and promptly sunk a 30ft putt to take the tenth. At this stage of the game, the accuracy of Kearns’s drives failed, and after halving the eleventh hole, Mangan putted for a birdie 3 at the twelfth. At the fourteenth, Kearns got into difficulties through slicing into a bunker. He was two over par, and Mangan took the hole. The match finished disappointingly, for at the last hole Mangan’s tee drive was lost in the trees, giving Kearns a win, 2 up. Scott Unlucky

J. G. Scott, runner-up to Kearns in the stroke championship on Wednesday, was in many ways unlucky to be beaten by I. J. Charles in the afternoon round. Each gained two birdies in the first nine holes, and both were out in 37 —one over the standard scratch score. Charles was home in 38, and Scott in 39.

Scott had played particularly well during the tournament, but was not happy in the damp conditions yesterday. In the first round in the morning, he had had to play to the twenty-first with D. Ramsay before a decision could be reached.

The play of C. W. Caldwell was a mixture of inaccuracy and brilliance. In his match with B. L. Clegg during the afternoon, he gained birdies at the second, thirteenth, and fifteenth, and gained an eagle 3 at the tenth. This excellent play, however, was offset by a bad lapse at the 434 yd eighth, where he sliced the ball out of bounds and scored 7 for the hole. Another lapse occurred at the eleventh, where he took three putts, and finished one over par. His drive at the fourteenth was sliced into the trees. The other holes were completed iri scratch scores.

A Russley player, K. D. Foxton. had a fairly easy win in the

morning against D. T. Macer, 4 and 2. J. H. Scott. Foxton’s opponent in the afternoon, played consistently and well. Foxton’s win, however, was most creditable because of self-imposed handicaps. He hooked his drive at the fifth, and had trouble with trees twice on the way home. He won the second, fifth, ninth, eleventh, fourteenth, and fifteenth holes with birdies. Scott gained birdies to win the fourth and seventh. Foxton won the match, 4 and 3. In this morning’s matches, Caldwell will play Charles, and Kearns Foxton. Results were:— Christchurch Match Championship First Round.—A. I. Charles beat W Strang. 2 and 1; B. L. Clegg beat J. D. Bull, 3 and 2; J. G. Scott beat D. J. Ramsay at the twenty-first; C. W. Caldwell’beat B. R. Myers, 2 up; K. D. Foxton beat D. T. Macer. 4 and 2; J. H. Scott beat L. J. Stephens, 2 and 1; J. G. Mangan beat D. C. Watt, 2 and 1; R. D. Kearns beat A. J. McGillivray, 5 and 3. Second Round.—C. W. Caldwell beat B. L. Clegg, 4 and 3; A. J. Charles beat J. G. Scott, 1 up, K. D. Foxton beat J. H. Scott, 4 and -3; R. D. Kearns beat J. G. Mangan, 2 up. Match Handicap Intermediate.—First round: P. F. Barkle (9) beat F. R. Marshall (6), 3 and 2; W- A. Christian (8) beat J. F. Tucker (7), 6 and 4; H. V. Rossi (11) beat A. M. Leslie (8), 5 and 4; E. G. Keenan (10) beat J. Mitchell (9) by default; A. B. 800 l (7) beat W. J. Morley (18) by default: W. A. Caldwell (8) beat J. J. Corbett (11), 4 and 2; A. E. Benzie (6) beat J. Richards (9), 3 and 1; G. C. Barron (10) beat J. J. Millar (8), 6 and 5. Second round: W. A. Christian beat P. F. Barkle, 2 and 1; H. V. Rossi beat E. G. Keenan at the nineteenth: W. A. Caldwell beat A. B. 8001, 4 and 3; A. E. Benzie beat G. C. Barron, 4 and 2.

Junior.—First round: B. T. Coburn (13) beat H. R. Hornsby (17) at the nineteenth; M. Williams (18) beat R. A. Norton (24), 7 and 6; A. Robertson (14) beat A. Service (17), 1 up, L. J. Roy (14) beat R. Smith (13), 1 up; H. D. Johnston (19) beat A. H. Wilson (17), 1 up; B. M. Simon (15) beat C. R. Weavers (14), 1 up; H. M. Minson (16) beat G. S. Gunderson (18), 3 and 2; W. A. Wells (13) beat N. E. Shaw (17), 8 and 6. Second round: W. Williams beat B. T. Coburn, 3 and 2; L. J. Roy beat A. Robertson at. the nineteenth; B. M. Simon beat H. D. Johnston, 4 and 2; W. A. Wells beat H. M, Minson, 2 and 1. Christmas Plate First round: D. J. Ramsay beat W. Strang, 6 and 5; J. D. Bull beat B. R. Myers, 2 and 1; D. T. Macer beat L. J. Stephens, 2 and 1; D. C. Ward beat A. J. McGillivray, 2 and 1. Four-ball Bogey Handicap W. J. Humphries and J. Cuddon, 1 up; F. R. Marshall and A. M. Leslie, 1 up; H. Service and R. Smith, 1 up. Humphries and Cuddon won on the count-back. Stableford Handicap I. J. Campbell, 36 points; H. McL. Elliott, 31; A. B. 8001, 29; E. G. Keenan, 27. Intermediate • Stroke Handicap, 36 Holes P. F. Barkle, 72, 75—147; G. C. Barron, 75, 74—149; W. J. Morley, 72. 77—149; E. G. Keenan, 71, 78— 149; W. A. Christian, 76, 74—150; A. E. Benzie, 76, 76—152; W. A. Caldwell, 77, 78—155; H. V. Rossi, 78, 77 155; F. R. Marshall, 76, 81—157; T. J, Millar, 84, 74—158; J. Mitchell, 76, 80—158; J. F. Tucker, 76, 83—159; A. B. 8001, 81, 78—159; J. Richards, 76. 86—162; A. M. Leslie, 83, 83—166; L. E. Robinson, 88, 79-—167; J. J. Corbett. 83, 86—169; L. S. Harding. 81. 88—169; M. J. Hodgkinson, 78. 91—169; A. F. Ross. 88, 82—170; A. G. Paterson, 81, 91—172; C. J. Fogarty, 92. 87—179; C. Le Roy, 86, 97—183.

Junior Stroke Handicap B. T. Coburn, 73, 75—148; W. A. Wells, 75, 76—151; R. Smith, 72, 81— 153; H. D. Johnston, 82, 74—156; M. Williams, 83, 76—159; H. M. Minson, 77. 83—160; A. Robertson, 81, 79 160; B. M. Simon, 89, 72—161; H. R. Hornsby, 80, 83—163; R. A. Robertson, 78, 85—163; N. E. Shaw. 80, 85— 165; C. J. Roy, 83. 84—167; A. H. Wilson, 89, 82—171; R. A. Norton, 88, 88—176; G. S. Gunderson, 83, 95 178: A. Service, 88, 90—178; C. R. Weavers, 91, 97—188.

Other Matches Stroke Handicap, 18 holes, held in conjunction with stroke championship.—morning round—senior: R. J. Ramsay. Intermediate: E. G. Keenan. Junior: R. Smith. Afternoon round—senior: C. J. Ward. Intermediate: T. J. Millar. Junior: B. M. Simon. Christmas handicap, 36 holes: F. Barkle 1. B. T. Coburn 2.