Jones Amateur Golf Champion 5th Time

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30593, 9 November 1964, Page 9

Jones Amateur Golf Champion 5th Time

(New Zealand Press Association) HAMILTON, November 8. In what was considered by players and officials alike as the best New Zealand amateur golf final in years, S. G. Jones, of Hastings, beat E. J. McDougall, of Muriwai, at the 37th hole at St. Andrews, Hamilton, on Saturday. A great come-back by Jones earned him his fifth national amateur championship title since 1955. He became the first man since the great A. D. S. Duncan to win the title more than four times.

Jones’s recovery was aided to a large extent by McDougall’s failure at two holes at which he had played consistently well during the championship.

Two up with four to play, McDougall looked to have the game won. But then putting troubles upset him. He missed a four-footer at the 34th and another short putt at the 35th.

Followed by a gallery of more than 1000, the two players halved the 36th hole, and then disaster struck the big-hitting, 17-st McDougall. He sliced his tee shot from the 37th out of bounds. He played another ball and after a good fairway shot was about nine feet from the pin. Long Look At Putt Jones put his tee shot into a fairway bunker, was short with his recovery, but was only three feet from the pin for three. McDougall studied the lie for a full three minutes but his putt was short, and he stretched out a hand of congratulations to Jones, without asking him to putt. Jones was two up after two holes and it was not until the ninth, when Jones hit into some trees, that McDougall was able to win a hole back. Then he sank a long putt for a birdie four. McDougall evened at the 13th when he putted boldly, and then put his approach shot within six inches of the pin for a birdie three at the 15th. He maintained his one up lead until the end of the round.

The 19th and 20th holes were halved in fours and the 21st in threes, McDougall recovering well from a bunker. However, he was in real trouble at the 22nd. His second was hooked badly and it landed under a pine tree with iow hanging branches. In spite of clearing well, McDougall lost the hole when Jones holed a 10footer.

McDougall regained his one up lead at the 23rd when he holed a 12"-foot putt for a birdie three, and both the 24th and 25th were halved. Another birdie to McDougall at the 26th gave him a two up lead. His drive of 300 yards was among the best of the tournament The 27th was halved.

Jones reduced the lead with a four to a five at the 28th, the 29th was halved in fives and both chipped in remarkably well from difficult lies at the 30th, to halve the hole. By sinking a 20-ft putt at the 31st, Jones brought the game back to all square. McDougall retaliated with a birdie at the short 14th and went two up with another birdie at the 33rd after playing a magnificent second to finish within eight foot of the pin.

Then followed McDougall’s run of misfortune and the title he had seemed to have in his grasp escaped him. In the New Zealand Plate final, B. M. Silk (Wanganui) beat F. A. Malloy (Akarana), 2 and 1.