Foursomes Title Won By New Pairing

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32120, 16 October 1969, Page 15

Foursomes Title Won By New Pairing

(New Zealand Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH.

A new combination—Miss G. Taylor (New Plymouth) and Miss S. Hamilton (Dunedin)—won the New Zealand women’s foursomes golf championship at the Ngamotu links yesterday.

Miss Taylor, a New Zealand representative, and Miss Hamilton scored a 36-hole total of 152, with rounds of 78 and 74 on the par-72 course.

One stroke behind, in second place, was one of the favourite pairings, Miss N. B. White (Titirangi) and Miss H. Booth (Poverty Bay), who had led the field with a 75 after the first round but could manage only a 78 in the afternoon. A disastrous two-over-par seven at the sixteenth, when Miss Booth hit out of bounds, cost the pair the chance of a second win each in the event Then they lost the opportunity of sharing the winning score at the eighteenth by taking three putts from off the edge of the green. Miss Booth missed from 2ft. It was unnecessary drama, however, for Misses Taylor and Hamilton would have easily won on the count-baek. Miss U. K. Wickham (Tauranga) and Mrs N. D. Cullen (Russley) were third on 156 (76 and 80), and Mesdames A. Seiringer (Manor Park) and J. Batty (Carterton) finished fourth on 157 (77 and 80). Miss Taylor, a 25-year-old teacher, did not finally gain Miss Hamilton as a partner until the representative series at Palmerston North early last month. Miss Taylor had previously intended to play with Mrs J. Little (Auckland)

until Mrs Little turned professional.

However, Miss Hamilton, a 22-year-old hairdresser at Dunedin and winner of the Waddell Rose Bowl at last year's championships, was a happy substitute for Miss Taylor; she played splendidly in the afternoon. Their 74 in the second round, also including three putts at the eighteenth, was the best of the day. A four-over 76—the second best card of the afternoon — failed to salvage the ruins of a disastrous morning round of 84 for Miss C. Sullivan (Avondale) and Miss H. Mowat (Manawatu).

The' par-four eleventh hole in the morning, when two excursions out of bounds produced a most unwelcome eight, will have nightmarish qualities for Miss Sullivan. Most other times she was hitting the ball with great skill and accuracy.

Miss Sullivan' and Miss Mowat were square with the card until the sixth hole in the afternoon. Then they three-putted to go one over and had another three putts on the ninth to drop a second stroke. The eleventh was once more Miss Sullivan’s downfall when again she put her tee shot out of bounds for a two-over six. However, they were the only strokes dropped on the homeward journey. Miss Wickham and Mrs Cullen lodged a stern challenge after their 76 in the morning and they resumed well enough in the second round. But Miss Wickham hit

her tee shot out of bounds at the par-five eighth, and at the turn they were 41 (five over). Both had putting troubles on the twelfth and thirteenth to drop shots but they finished with pars to complete the home run in 39. Their morning round featured an admirable one-over 37 for the first nine and a steady three-over 39 for the second.

Miss W. Bryant, at present a member of Lochiel but to join Avondale when she moves to Christchurch after the championships, teamed well with Miss M. Doherty for 79 in the morning and 81 in the afternoon. Their total of 160 tied with Miss Sullivan and Miss Mowat for seventh placing. Miss M. Ensor and Miss S. Ritchie had putting troubles in the morning for an 82 but there was a lot of good golf in their play. Miss Ritchie had at least six putts for pars stop inches from the hole.

The first round of the Mellsop Cup stroke championship will be played today.