GOLF Two Rosebowl Players Lose Shirley Matches

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 12

GOLF Two Rosebowl Players Lose Shirley Matches

Two members of Canterbury’s Freyberg Rosebowl team last year were beaten in the opening rounds of match play at the Christchurch Golf Club’s Easter tournament at Shirley yesterday. They were M. W. Stanley and K. D. Foxton, and both went down to the Russley player, D. C. Watson, a Canterbury representative "at the first Freyberg Rosebowl tournament seven years ago.

The semi-finalists for this mom-; Ing's games are R. J. Charles, J.j G. Scott, R. E. Clements and Watson. The stroke play event, over 36 holes on Saturday, was won byCharles by a clear and convincing margin. His golf was one of the few features of a depressing day. The course was heavy and playing exceptionally long. Those who got into the rough—and they were not a small company—found it too thick for the playing of dramatic recoveries. All day long there was the slosh of feet across the greens, the flapping of oilskins, the clicking of umbrellas being opened and shut. Footmarks about the holes were naturally pronounced in such conditions and added to the difficulties of putting. Approaching was difficult, too, as the amount of water spread about varied greatly from green to green. Few Errors In such circumstances, Charles’s rounds of 76 and 74 were extremely good ones. He seldom made a serious error, and he seemed able to gauge the watery greens—perhaps fathom would be a better word—better than the ethers. D. C. Watson shared the lead in the morning, but spent the afternoon mainly out of bounds, in the rough, or in bunkers, for an incredible 89. Foxton, with Charles and G. P. Vesty, of Timaru, shared the distinction of playing the best round of the day—74 in the afternoon. Clements, far from fit and particularly unlucky with his putts, finished third equal, with Vesty and L. J. James, who played very solidly. Vesty’s afternoon 74 was an extraordinary round. On the outward half, he had three birdies, but still took 39, three more than scratch. After these eccentricities his homeward half was a model of decorum—a birdie at the thirteenth, all the others scratch, for a 35. Perhaps the classic example of what most of the competitors suffered in sudden rebuffs was that of the young Russley player, R. K. Atkinson, who played the first seven holes in scratch figures in the morning, then took a 10. R. J. Ramsay was another whose errors cost him dear. In the morning he played only three really bad shots, but they were all at the creek holes, and they cost him. in the aggregate, six strokes. Foxton’s afternoon round was a good one. Three birdies helped give him scratch figures going out, and he finished the round with a spectacular putt for a birdie 3 and a homeward half of 38. Match Play When the match play began yesterday morning, Charles was in superlative form. Unhurried and accurate, he made no semblance of error. He was out in 33, and although his opponent, W. J. McGavock, was scratch to the fifteenth, he was three down to Charles’s immaculate golf. Charles was seldom off the line, his approach putting was of extreme accuracy, and when he finished the match with a birdie 4 at the long sixteenth, he was four better than scratch.

D. J. Rarfisay and H. J. Gosset had a protracted and interesting battle, if it did not always produce golf of the highest class. Ramsay hooked badly for a considerable period, but went to the twentieth before he succumbed. A patch of brilliance near the end of the round gave J. G. Scott victory over Vesty. The match began with Scott rolling down a 20-foot putt for a birdie 3 at the first, and Vesty holing one of 15 feet for a birdie 3 at the second. Such displays of virtuosity were less frequent after that, and Vesty held a slender lead until Scott won the first two after the turn. Vesty took the twelfth to square the match, but at the short thirteenth Scott was four feet behind the pin, and won with his 2. He had a birdie 3 at the fourteenth, and at the 185-yard fifteenth was again four feet behind the pin with his tee shot and won again The first of the surprises was the defeat of Stanley by Watson. It is some time since Watson took a conspicuous part in a major tournament, but yesterday he was right on his game, bubbling witn optimism, and supporting it by emerging from unpromising positions with some chips and approaches of startling accuracy. Stanley is one of Canterbury’s most successful golfers, but this was the third successive year in which he had been eliminated in the first round of the Christchurch Easter tournament—although in the two years before that he had won both the match and stroke titles. Yesterday he was not at his best, and Watson gave him no latitude, putting almost as well as he chipped. Timaru Player

One of the best games of the morning was that in which the 18-year-old Timaru player, R. S. Wakefield, took Foxton to the nineteenth. Wakefield, little-known in Christchurch, gave a most impressive display, and he seems destined to go further than the several other promising young players Timaru has produced in recent years.

Although very slightly built. Wakefield is a tremendous hitter, and he attacks the ball with commendable relish. Only lack of experience cost him the match, for he had the capable Foxton palpably beaten three times in the last few holes. Foxton. however, showed his usual fighting qualities and finished the match with two fine birdies.

Wakefield, hitting vast distances with woods which had tremendous heads, held his own until Foxton won the eighth and ninth holes with birdies. But Wakefield, remarkably cool in demeanour, wonderfully cheerful in adversity, took the tenth, which measures 453 yards, after playing two superb woods and calmly rolling

[ down a putt of 10 feet for an eagle 3. At the twelfth, Wakefield carried the hill with ease, and squared the match at the thirteenth with a chip laid dead. At the fourteenth he found the rough, but a glorious 4-iron gave him his 4 and a win. One up with three to play, Wakefield had an excellent chance at the short fifteenth, but his approach putt w T as far short, and he took two more, for a half. He made amends at the 550-yard sixteenth, where he almost drove the creek —no mean feat on a heavy course—and sank a 12-foot putt for a birdie 4 and a win. Needing only a half to take the match, Wakefield missed a four-foot putt at the seventeenth, and was short with his approach at the eighteenth, where Foxton played two very fine shots and putted beautifully for his 3. Foxton, now on top, played the nineteenth superbly, and another 3 ended an excellent g;me. High Standard In the afternoon Charles astounded everyone by threeputting the second green—the equivalent of Jeeves trifling with the young master’s sherry—but he was untroubled to lead Atkinson by two holes after they had played the first five. Atkinson persistently chipping and putting short. Then the match rose to an extremely high level, six of the next eight holes being won in birdies. Charles had one at the sixth, to be three up, and they halved the seventh. Atkinson, in an almost hopeless position against a player of Charles’s standard, resolved his immediate difficulties by scoring birdies at the eighth, ninth and tenth. His birdie at the eighth was a reward for skill and sense. His drive was pushed into heavy rough at the right, but he got back to the fairway before attacking the green. This he did most successfully, with a superb iron, and he holed a good putt !or four. At the short ninth, Atkinson sank a putt of terrifying length for his two and a win, and at the tenth he dropped one of 14 feet for another birdie to square the match. After that Charles regained control, taking the eleventh with a birdie after a long putt, and the thirteenth with a delicatelycontrolled putt of 12 feet over a wet and sloping surface for another birdie. He finished the match with another birdie at the seventeenth, and his 4 at the last hole gave him a round of 71, one under scratch. Cromb and Clements The meeting of I. B. Cromb and Clements aroused considerable interest, for they are among the longest hitters in the province. Cromb’s full swing remains as relaxed as ever, and Clements, extraordinarily loose-wristed, also looks as if he counts golf among his pleasures and not in his worries. Both hit some colossal drives, both made errors and recovered well. A notable shot was Clements’s fairway wood at the 500-yard fourth, which put him just below the green and gave him a birdie 4. but it was a very even struggle. Clements did not lead by more than one until near the end, and Cromb had the game squared several times. Cromb had a chance to halve the fourteenth, but missed a putt of moderate length, and Clements, ending the game at the sixteenth, was only one over scratch. Watson, still playing with complete confidence, was one under scratch and three up after five holes against Foxton, and he held on tenaciously to his lead. Watson held the upper hand for most of the game, although Foxton had squared the match briefly at the turn. Foxton was sometimes short with his recoveries, but Watson continued to chip and putt with exceptional skill. There was very little between Scott and Gosset, although Scott was behind only once. Gosset played two very poor drives, at the fourteenth and sixteenth, and these probably cost him his chance. In the semi-finals this morning. Charles will meet Scott and Clements will play Watson. Results: — SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Stroke match and qualifying rounds’ R. J. Charles, 76, 74—150; K. D. Foxton, 82, 74—156; G. P. Vesty, 83 74—157; L. J. James, 77, 80—157; R.’ E. Clements, 79, 78—157; M. W. Stanley. 79, 79—158; D. J. Ramsay, 79, 80—159: R. J. Ramsay, 82, 78—160: L. J. McGavock, 80, 81—161; R. S. Wakefield, 83, 80—163; L. A. Watson, 33, 81—164; J. G. Scott, 80, 84—164: B. L Clegg, 84, 81—165; D. C. Watson. 76 89—165; R. K. Atkinson, 82, 83 —165; H. J. Gosset, 87, 79—166; I. B. Cromb, 83. 83—166. L. A. Watson did not compete in the match play. Match Play—First round: Charles beat McGavock 3 and 2; Atkinson beat James 3 and 2; Gosset beat D. J. Ramsav at the 20th; Scott beat Vestv 3 and 2; Clements beat Clegg 3 and 2; Cromb beat R. J. Ramsay 2 and 1; Watson beat Stanley 6 and 4; Foxton beat Wakefield at the 19th. Second round: Charles beat Atkinson 3 and 1; Scott beat Gosset 2 and 1; Clements beat Cromb 3 and .2; Watson beat Foxton 2 and 1. Easter Plate.—First round: W. J. McGavock beat L. J James 2 and 1; G. P. Vestey beat D. J. Ramsay 4 and 2; R. J. Ramsay beat B. L. Clegg 7 and 6; M. W. Stanley beat R. S. Wakefield-4 and 3. HANDICAP EVENTS Senior Morning stroke: D. C. Watson, 76, 2—74. Afternoon: R. S. Wakefield. 80. 5—75. x „ Match Handicap.—First round: B Chambers a bye; F. R. Marshall beat H. A. Montgomery, 1 up: A. 1. Charles a bye; C. J. Ward beat H M. Elliott 4 and 2; J. G. Mangan beat J. B. Prendergast 8 and 7; J. D Bull a bye; J. Mackay beat J. H. Rich at the 19th; N. J. Forward a bye. Second round: Marshall beat Chambers 2 and 1; Charles beat Ward 3 and 2; Bull beat Mangan 5 and 3; Mackay beat Forward 3 and 2. Intermediate 36-Hole Stroke Match.—P. Holt, 168. 16—152; E. S. Henderson, 174, 20 —1&4; R. E. Alexander. 175, 18—157; B. K. Franks, 175, 18—157; D. Clark, 178, 16—162; M. L. Page. 184, 22 162; C. L. Sturge, 184, 22—162. Morning stroke match: E. S. Henderson, 82, 10—72. Afternoon: P Holt. 81, 8—73. Match Handicap.—First round: P. Holt beat D. H. Cummack by defahlt; M. L. Page beat G. M. Turrell

4 and 2; W. K. L. Dougall beat S. Tunnicliff 2 up; B. K. Franks beat J. H. McGavock 3 and 2; D. Clark beat L. J. Moorhouse 2 and 1; R. B. Townsend beat J. J. Corbett 2 and 1; E. G. Keenan beat L. H. Sinclair 3 and 1; E. S. Henderson beat S. C. Suckling 7 and 6. Second round: Holt beat Page 6 and 5; Dougall beat Franks 1 up; Townsend beat Clark 3 and 2: Henderson beat Keenan at the 20th. Junior 36-Hole Stroke Handicap.—H. B. Stewart, 179, 30—149; R. K. Baty, 177, 26—151; R. F. Smith. 183, 26 157; G. Day, 203. 44—159. Morning stroke match: R. K. Baty, 89, 13—76. Afternoon: R. F. Smith, 88. 13—75. Junior Match Handicap.—First round: H. B. Stewart beat H. C. Smith 3 and 2; M. F. Hobbs beat J. A. Ellerm 3 and 2; R. A. Roberton beat P. R Hollings by default; R. F Smith beat R. W. Geoghegan 7 and 5; G. Day beat K. V. Atkinson by default: J. Trcgear beat G. C. Spencer 4 and 2; G. A. Palmer beat P. F. Carrick 6 and 4; R. K. Baty beat C. J. Proctor 8 and 6. Second round: Stewart beat Hobbs 3 and 2; Smith beat Roberton 6 and 5; Tregear beat Day 1 up; Baty beat Palmer 3 and 1. Stableford handicap: R. J. Osborn 34 points. H. V. Rossi 31, R. A. Roberton 28. Fourball best ball bogey: L. H. Sinclair and S. C. Suckling 1 up; P. T. Mahon and S. Tunnicliff all square; H. V. Rossi and C. L. Sturge 1 down. Sams Cup. for left-handed players: R. J. Charles. 150. plus 4—154; R. E Alexander. 175, 18—157; A. I. Charles. 170, 8—162.

CLUB MATCHES WAITIKIRI CLUB. Four-ball bogey: P. Kennedy and M. Stone. 6 up; H. Dymond and I. Dymond, 4 up; A. Bailey and W. B. Wyatt, 1 down. Stroke: H. Dymond, 85, 11— 74; L. Rhodes, 79, 4—75; N. Robinson, 86, 11—75; J. Barclay, 95, 20—75. RAWHITI CLUB.— Greensome: B. Masson and A. Coy, 73, 8—65; L. Cockbum and H. Ansley, 79, 13—66; L. Russell and M. Langford. 76, 9 67; J. Groom and A. Melville, 72, 5 —67. Four-ball, best-ball bogey: M. Langford and S. Campbell, 6 up; J. Booth and I. Pockson, 4 up. WAIMAIRI BEACH CLUB.—Fourball, best-ball bogey: B. McGuire and H. Sim, 7 up; L. Clegg and R. Harris, 5 up. Stroke—Senior: A. S. Anderson, 79, 12—67; M. Watson, 80, 10—70; R. Day, 86, 11—75. Junior: H. Trevean, 98, 22—76; L. Clegg, 90, 14—76; N. Wootton, 101, 24—77. H. Trevean won on the count-back. Four-ball, best-ball Stableford: Miss P. Wood and C. N. Ellerm, 43 points; W. Gain and A. Hamilton, 41; D. Thomson and S. Andersen, 41. TEMPLETON CLUB.— G. McHerron and S. O'Callaghan, 1 down; R. Pugh and E. Fowler, 1 down; A. S. H. Morrow and G. B. Anderson, 2 down; S. Cawtheray and M. Hammett, 2 down; S. Andrews and M. Mabey, 2 down. McHerron and O’Callaghan won on the count-back. TAI TAPU LADIES’ CLUB.— Open tournament—Morning round, senior gross: Miss S. Grigg (Shirley). 85, 6 —79. Senior medal: Mrs J. Hewlett (Shirley), 105, 17—85; runner-up: Mrs C. Lipscombe (Russley), 103, 16 —B7. Junior gross: Mrs R. Newton (Ellesmere), 102, 23—79. Junior medal: Mrs R. Wood (Tai Tapu), 106, 30—76; runner-up, Mrs Heslop (Ellesmere), 111, 31—80. Afternoon round—Stableford bogey: Miss D. McMillan (Ellesmere) and Mrs R Newton (Ellesmere), 29 points, won on a count-back from Mrs J. Foxton (Templeton) and Mrs R. Foxton (Russley). Teams’ match: Mrs R. Edward, Miss S. Grigg, Mrs R. Barclay Miss B. Coop. L.G.U. match: Mrs N. Wood, 105, 30—75; Mrs G. 109 Or 21 SO BS 108 ’ 31 ~ 77: Mrs A ‘ Bel1 ’ RAWHITI LADIES’ CLUB.— Sealed hole tournament, senior: Mrs I Pockson, 48, 8—40; Mrs N. Stephens, 50, 8—42: Mrs C. O’Neill, 51, 8—43. Intermediate: Mrs H. Whitford, 47, 10—37; Mrs T. Mathews, 48, 10—38 Mrs J. Nicholls, 50, 10—40. Junior: Mrs N. Nevell, 54, 15—39; Miss N. Turner, 62, 18—44; Mrs S. McCann, 64, 18—46; Miss F. Russell, 64, 18— 46.

I. S. Harvey For Christchurch

Twa outstanding young golfers who began their playing careers in Timaru may soon be living in Christchurch. I. S. Harvey, who has been in Wellington for many months, will transfer to Christchurch in a few days, and, he will add considerable interest to the Woodward Cup competitions. R. S. Wakefield, of Timaru, an 18-year-old player, may also come to Christchurch soon. He is a competitor in the Christchurch Club’s Easter tournament this year, and he made an excellent impression on the first two days. Good judges regard him as being an outstanding prospect. Wakefield is also an accomplished cricketer and Rugby footballer, and is said to be the best boxer Timaru Boys’ High School has produced in many years. He won the South Canterbury stroke play title last year and played against the Australian amateur team at Timaru. Auckland Title (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 21. W. W. Smith, N. V. Edwards. G. M. Lees, and R. R. Newdick are the four semi-finalists in the Auckland provincial golf championships, played at Titirangi over the week-end. Smith headed the qualifiers when he recorded a four under par 68 for his second round, which made his aggregate 140. This was eight strokes ahead of the field. HORORATA LADIES’ GOLF TOURNAMENT Has been POSTPONED until further Notice. Mrs OLIVER, Secretary. —Advt. HORORATA GOLF CLUB TOURNAMENT. The above Club will hold its OPEN TOURNAMENT on Sunday, April 28. Entries close with the undersigned on Tuesday. April 23. R. REID, Club Captain, Barfield. ’Phone BS, Darfield. —Advt.

MISSING HORSE FOUND

The two-year-old trotting filly. Susy Ess, which had been missing for about 12 days from a paddock in Marshland road, was found by the police on Friday in a field at the corner of Middleton and Blenheim roads. The filly was returned to her part-owner, Mr H. E. Stevenson, who said yesterday that the horse appeared to be in fairly good condition, although she had been “knocked about a bit.” Susy Ess will be examined by a veterinarian today. A juvenile will appear in the Children’s Court as a result of the incident. ’