NEW ZEALAND GOLF TOURNAMENT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 18, 16 October 1926, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND GOLF TOURNAMENT

BATTLE FOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP GOOD PERFORMANCES BY AMATEURS TWO STERLING ROUNDS BY DR. K. ROSS The quality of the golf displayed in the first two rounds of the New Zealand Golf Association’s open championship tournament on the Miramar links yesterday proved conclusively that the standard of play is on the up grade . The field was the largest which has ever contested the event, eighty players, including two of Sydney’s leading men, in the amateur champion of New South Wales, and a plus 1 man from the Concord Club, competing. In the past 77’s have been good enough to win the open championship, but if yesterday s form can be sustained in the third and fourth rounds to-day 75’s will not have a look in. this year. The feature of yesterday’s play was two remarkable .rounds of 74 by Dr. K. Ross, the Otago champion, who dominated the links. Driving a very long ball and keeping, excellent direction, the Otago amateur champion was equally good with his brassie and irons, and his play round about and on the greens was soundness itself. Added to this, he showed that he had a wide variety of shots at his command by cleverly extricating his ball from the few bunkers he did happen to get into. Fine as was Dr. Ross’s play he was only three strokes ahead of W. Dobson, of Sydney, and A. G. Sime, of Westport, two amateurs who will have to be seriously reckoned with yet in both the open and the amateur championships.

The links were in perfect order, and the day was ideal for good scoring, a gentle southerly breeze tempering the rays of ihe sun. A fair gallery tor an off-day divided their attention between their own particular fancies, and they were rewarded by witnessing the best golf which has ever been produced at a national tournament. The big gathering was excellently managed by an efficient tournament committee, of whom Mr. A. E. Erskine was chairman and Air. T. H. Gibson secretary. Mr. <3. O. Sutton, lion, secretary of the Now Zealand Golf Council, also rendered valuable assistance, and Mr. R. C. Kirk, chairman of the council, was also Hi attendance. , , , ~ For once local knowledge counted lor nothing. The honours of the day wore carried off bv outsiders. Golfing ability spoke louder than knowledge ot the links. Dr. K. Ross, of Dunedin, who has been the outstanding player in Otiigo for many years past, has never previously shown up conspicuously at New Zealand championship meetings. He, however, gave a taste of his true qualify, and showed the local plajers bow their links should be played A. G, Sime, of Westport, winner of the New Zealand amateur championship in 1920, was aisn in fine form, and shared with W. R. Dobson, of Sydney, the honour of tieing for second place at the end of the two rounds yesterday. amateurs in form. The finest golf of the day was provided by Dr. Ross (Dunedin) and A. G. Sime (Westport). So well (.id this pair control the ball that there was very little between them at any stage of the lournev over the 36 holes. They played so well indeed that one acted as a spur to the other. . , , ... In the morning Sime played solid golf on the out journey, which he did in 37, having six 4,’s, a 3, and two 5 s on his card. The Otago man was inclined to push his tee shots cut a bit, and took 40 for the run cut. _ Coming back, however, Dr. Ross lumped into his best stride, revealing golt ot a high order. He was steadiness personified, and reeled off hole after hole with thq precision of a Bobby Jones. Starting off with a couple if, 4s he then got a perfect 2 at the twelfth (Im yds.), and a bogey 3 at “The Lawn (ICflyils.). All the other holes on the run in were done in 4’s, with the exception of the Inst, where a bogey 5 was recorded. This gave the Otago man the brilliant tally of 34 for the run home, which enabled him to head the field for tho first round with a sensational 74. Simo started off brilliantly for the second half of the morning round, recording six 4’s and a 3 for the first seven holes. He then marred bis great performance by taking a. 5 and a .6 tor tho last two holes. This gave him 38 for the run in and 75 for the round, a stroke behind the Otago man. The cards read as follow :— Dr. K. .BossOut: 5173135(5—40 In: 442434445—34 A. G. SimeOut: 415411534 37 In: 414434456—38 ANOTHER 74. '‘They will never be able to keop that form up,” remarked a golfing enthusiast

who lias attended many New Zealand championship meetings. Here ho was wrong. The pair had quite a fair-sized gallery when they set out for the second round at 2.14-. They played steady golf ,on the out journey, which Dr. Ross did in 38. one under bogey, while Sime halved with Ihe Colonel. As in' the morning the Otago champion warmed -to his work on the run home. He got a par 4 at. the tenth, and followed this up with an eagle .3 at the eleventh (400yds.). A booming drive was followed by an equally long brassie second, and he ratfl ed a 12ft. putt into the cup for a 3. Sime, at. this hole, hooked his drive badly into a bunker well oft the fairway, and played his iron third into the bunker to the right of the green. Notwithstanding the fact that he had visited two hunkers, the Westnori man recorded a. bogev 5 at this hole. Both men continued to play sterling golf, until ihey reached “The Gap.’ Here Dr. Ross placed his drive under the brow of (ho hill, and was a (rille short witii a great mashie attempt to reach Ilin green. He took a 5 for Hie |,,dc which is bogey 4. Sime, on the other hand, played perfect golf hero. From an excellently-placed drive o f full distance, ho landed his second on true

green, and ran down an 18ft. pptt for a brilliant 3. , They wene on to do bogey 4’s end 5 s nt the sixteenth and seven tenth, and both wer onthe home green (490yds.) tn 3. Dr. Ross, however,- electrified the crowd by running down a sensational 24ft. putt for a brilliant 4, which gave him 36 for the home lournev, and another 74 for the second round. It was a fitting finale to a great round. Sime had to be content with bogey 5, which gave him 37 for the run in, and 76 for tho round. He was thus one stroke behind the Otago champion on the morning round, and two strokes behind him on the second ’round. Both men played great golf, as will bo Been from a glance nt their cards: Dr. Ross— Out: 545442545—33 Tn: 434435154—36 A. G. Sime — Out: 516353544-39 In: 453143455—37 SYDNEY QUALITY. Much interest centred in the appearance of the Australian representatives, and it was not long before everyone on the links knew that players cf class had crossed the Tasman to challenge New Zealand’s best. , , AV. R. Dobson, the Concord Club plus 1 man, pleased evervonc by his free style, an'd the dexterity with which be handled every club in his bag. Driving a great ball off the tees, he wne equally good nt the short game, and his putting was steady. He did solid rounds of 76 and 75, which placed him equal in second place with A. G. Sime at the end of the day. His card read :— Out: 555342445-37 In: 4434,36165-39 Next came that' hero of a hundred fights, A. D. S. Duncan, who has three open and nine amateur New Zealand championships to his credit. That he is still amongst the best of them he proved by recording rounds of 76 and 78. In fifth place came T. H. Horton, of Masterton, the amateur champion of New Zealand, who did 78 and 76, playing very steadily. E. J. Moss, of Auckland, the professional champion of the Dominion, led the professionals. His morning round of 76 led the field until Dr. Ross and Sime arrived with their 74 and 75. The Auckland professional did a 78 in the afternoon, which placed him level with A. J. Shaw, who also did 76 and 78. Moss and Shaw were tho only professionals who were able to stem the tide of the amateur invasion, which threatened to sweep all before it. _ E. M. Macfarlane, of Christchurch, the holder of the open championship title, crashed rather badly on the first round, when the best he could do was an 86. Ho improved greatly in the afternoon, when he reeled off a very solid 75, playing really fine golf. . _ , •, L. Seifert, the youthful Palmerston North player, did well in recording 78 and 77. Ho has a nice free style and a good temperament for the game. Knpi Tarelia, the mighty driver from Napier, was hitting them as far as ever, but could not control the ball too well. He registered a 79 m the morning and did a 76 in the afternoon. He caused a flutter yesterday afternoon by reeling off five 3’s in succession, commencing at the tenth. It was as brilliant a sequence as has ever been seen in a New Zealand open championship. The quality of his golf can be imagined when it is stated that three of these holes are marked bogey 5. Just when it appeared as if the Napier man was going to do a record round he got off the line, and had to lose a stroke in digging out of the rough. , Hector Morrison, the amateur champion of New South Wales, was not seen at his best, He contented himself with steady rounds cf 77 and 79. He is a stylist, and may give a better taste of his true qualitv to-dav. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST DAY’S COMPLETE SCORES

The following are the complete scores in the two rounds of the open championship, which were played simultaneously with the vwo first qualifying rounds tor the amateur championship:—

Dr. K. Boss 74 74 148 A. G. Sime 75 76 151 W. Dobson 76 75 151 A. D. S. Duncan 76 78 154 T. H. Horton .... 78 76 154 r D. .1. Moss .76 78 154 'A. J. Shaw .. 76 154 D. M. Macfarlane so 155 L, Seifert I< Tarelia 76 155 .1. H. Drake 81 75 156 IT. Morrison 79 156 H. J. Shanks ... 78 78 156 J. B. Parker ... 78 79 157

•H. R. Blair 79 79 158 J. Goss 78 80 158 *,T. A. Clements ... 80 79 159 •G. B. Forrest ... 80 79 159 *J. McIntosh 83 76 159 H. A. Black 79 81 160 *R. C. Butters ... 79 81 IGO 1ST. IT. Duncan ... 84 77 161 L. Quin 83 7S 161 B. V. Wright ... 80 81 161 N. Bell 82 80 162 ,T. L. Black 82 80 162 R. Wagg 81 81 162 L. B. Campbell... 82 81 163 A. E. Conway ... 82 81 163 •T. Galloway 82 81 163 ,T. M. Hussey ... 82 81 163 A. D. Morris 81 82 163 T;. Ross 81 S3 163 J L. Tucker ... 78 85 163 W. Macbeth 82 81 163 D. Grant 81 S3 161 P. Grey *F. Branch 80 St S3 164. 165 *.T. R. Gnllowav ... SO 85 165 TT W. MacFarlane 81 81 G. Ritchie St 81 165 D. O. Whyte 85 81 166 *C. C. Clements ... 81 82 166 J. Forrest 87 79 1(56 I,. D. Hurst 84 R2 Dr. S. Jones 80 86 166 J. L. Pct ley ...... 79 88 167 J. Harrison 83 84 1(57 J. P. Dale 87 80 . 167

G. W. Macrae ... 84 81 168 H. R. H. Balneavie D. C. Collins ....!.. 87 81 168 85 83 1118 R. Q. Chesney ... 86 83 169 G. M. Dodgshnn 88 81 169 J. D. G. Duncan 85 84 169 R. 0. Gardner ... S3 86 169 W. O’Callaghan . 81 85 169' H. E. n. Aphn .. 89 81 190 N. S. Collie 87 ' 83 170 H. E. Crosse 86 84 170 R. D. Duncan ... 87 S3 170 F. C. Fryer 85 85 170 •J. McCormick ... 81 86 170 •j. W. Ross 87 83 170 A. A. Stichbnry . 81 89 170 0. J. Wilson 83 87 170 171 .T. C. Bidwill 89 82 j. Quin 84 87 171 C. Riddell 87 '84 171 A. R. Blank 85 87 172 W. P. McCarthy 85 87 172 ,T. M. Miller 87 85 172 F. Quin S3 89 172 N. U. Bull 87 87 1 < 4*.T. Lambie 86 88 174 .1. Harold 89 86 175 E. 11. Liddle 88 89 177 C \. Seymour ... 91 86 177 L. Sneedv ML Green 94 85 179 93 88 181