AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 7, 3 October 1929, Page 13

AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

SURVIVORS AFTER THIRD ROUND OF PLAY SIME, BLACK, MORPETH AND CATHRO FINALISTS FOR PROFESSIONAL TITLE (By Telegraph.—Special Reporter.) Wanganui. October 2. Perfect weather prevailed again to-day, when the quarter finals of the amateur championships over 36 holes, and the semi-fina s o the professional championship, also over 36 holes, were played on the Belmont Golf Links. There were no surprises, but the standard of golf by the winners among the amateurs was very high, and that of the losers sufficiently good to justify their placing in the 30 best amateurs in the country. A. J. Shaw got a good break on C. C. Clements with a more powerful brand of golf, and in the afternoon round, while he was able to hang on gamely, Clements was unable to make up the leeway. _ . , The finest match of the day was that between the two professionals, E. J. Moss and E. E. Douglas, when Moss won on the thirty-sixth jrreen through what is generally considered a mistake on Douglas s part in taking his putter when about 18 inches off the green. It was one of the finest exhibitions of match play on the part of both that one could wish to see, and was followed by a large gallery.

Although he started scratchily, S. Morpeth gave E. M. Macfarlane no respite, forcing the Christchurch man.all the way. The Christchurch boy, R. Ward, played a remarkably steady and plucky game, against the redoubtable A. G. Sime, of Westport, with whom the luck held almost throughout, even though Ward missed comparatively easy putts on three occasions. That his victory over A. D. S. Duncan was no flash in the pan, L. Cathro proceeded to show to-day by superlative golf from tees to cups. J. L. Black was ever a fighter, and A., E. Ekstedt found the loss of the last four holes in a row during the morning game when he was 4 up a bitter experience. Nor did Black let up in the afternoon, never taking more than two putts on any green. At the end of the first round this morning A. G. Ward was 3 up on K. Ward ; J. L. Black and A. E. Ekstedt were all square; L. Cathro was 4 up on B. J. Smith, jun.; and S. Morpeth was 4 up on E. M. Macfarlane. Their matches finished as follows: — A. G. Sime beat R. Ward, 3 and 1. J. L. Black beat A. E. Ekstedt, 6 and 5. S. Morpeth beat E. M. Macfarlane, 9 and 7. L. Cathro beat B. J. Smith, 10 and 8. The position among the professionals at the end of the morning round was A. J. Shaw, 3 up on C. C. Clements; and E. J. Moss and E. S. Douglass, all square. . . The matches finished as follows:— A. J. Shaw beat C. C. Clements, 4 and 3. E. J. Moss beat E. S. Douglas, 1 up. Morpeth v. Macfarlane. Sloan Morpeth started with his usual erratic Streak from the tee agaiust E. M. Macfarlane, and requiring three putts on the second and fourth greens, he was two down at that stage. Then he straightened out, and for the remaining fourteen holes of the round played almost perfect golf. He was one up at the turn, and never looked back. True, he had hig visitations into the rough, but none of his positions were such that he could not recover from in a manner that held seasoned golfers standing in wonderment. It might almost be said that Morpeth is more dangerous when be has to play out of the rough than when playing straight along the fairway. It is freely stated that Morpeth is stale from too much golf, and doubtless there is much truth in this. Also, he has scarcely recovered from an attack of “ ’flu,” so that his health has still something to make up. Yet, with all this, he is performing wonders. To-day he forced Macfarlane along all the time, so that he was losing accuracy with his irons. While Macfarlane s putting was little inferior if any to Morpeth’s, the less accuracy to the greens left Macfarlane at a disadvantage. Also, when Macfarlane did seem to be lying safe to win the hole, Morpeth, with faultless chip shots, would be dead or nearly so and take the hole from him, or save it with a half. As nerves play a big part in match play' s o. M *? fa r la,l « f °“ n r c ' extra superiority in playmK e . r ™ rs Morpeth’s, a none too helpful factor. In the morning Morpeth came on in 33, against the standard scratch score of 31. It was scarcely possible that anything could stand against that. But as though that was not enough, he went out in the afternoon in 34 against the standard scratch score of 38, the match ending at the tenth, where he took the standards. Even then, on a task so hopeless. Macfarlane was playing sound golf, as may tie seen from the fact that he taiok 38. Fine Match Player. L. Cathro is a fine match player, and in the morning round against B. J. Hmitn, jun.. he did a brilliant 71. While there was little between the two in. accuracy from the tees, Cathro .was hitting the longer ball at the long holes, and his seconds were much superior, while his putting was almost irreproachable. With a good lead in hand for the afternoon he went out on the second round resolved not to let up. He never played a slovenly or a bad shot the whole time, and Smith, who is a young player, felt the strain and became worse in his putting. Cathro. emphasised once again the great virtue of confidence. He was never off that fairways into trouble, and played a class of golf of which he may well be proud—n game such as the defeated may have no cause for regret at losing to. Smith bad to play a trailing game all the time — the hardest thing of all to do. K. Ward, of Christchurch, still a youth of but some 19 years of age, and one of the most promising players among the young ones in New Zealand, the possessor of a flawless style and a quiet modesty, put up a sterling . exhibition against A. G. Sime. Sime is the most confident golfer in New Zealand. The larger the gallery and the bigger the issue the more he likes it. • That confidence is liable to put an opponent at all given to nerves off his game. But it did not seem to affect Ward, who played steadily along the fairways to the green. But luck was not always with him. Missed short putts on several greens when he was in a good match position were to prove expensive. Confidence of Sime. Luck, too, ran with Sime, who, in the afternoon round, after Ward had gone out in 37, holed remarkably long putts on two greens, and on a third had the good fortune to have his ball hit the pin, jump in the air, and fall in the hole when it would have gone past- the hole by yards. In the afternoon round, too, when Sime was dormy two, Ward pulled into the rough one of his very few deviations from the straight and narrow path, and that lost him what little chance he had left of retrieving his position. Sime was quite pleased with his game, which was quite sound enough to be dangerous without the added slices of luck. What type of golf Sime was playing is easily seen from the fact that Ward's rounds were 76 and 75, both completed. Sime went round in the morning in 73 against the Standard 75. Once or twice Sime showed carelessness on the greens, so that while 3 down in the morning Ward made up the leeway to 2 down in the early part of the afternoon round. But Ward, while he could hold that, or make it up again when taken from him could never get any closer. Great Match Player. The triumph of J. L. Black over A. E. Ekstedt, was the triumph of a man who is a great match player. In the morning round Black started very badly, his putting being hopeless and his irons being somewhat awry. At the turn Ekstedt was 1 up and Black trailed him all the way. The 12th Ekstedt won in 2, making him 2 up. He went in to win the 13th in 4-5, and the 14th in 5-6. Black slicing out of bounds and putting his next in the bunker. With four up it seemed as though Ekstedt had a comfortable po*i- ■

tion. He reckoned, however, without Black's fighting qualities. Black went into the business to hand full out and won the next four holes in 3444, to be all square on the morning round. Luck stood to him at the 18th when he hooked his tee shot, played his second only a few yards, and was stone dead with his third. He had now suecessfully remedied his trouble of the irons and was no longer leaving himself the awkward putts of the first 14 holes. Ekstedt, at the fourth hole, got a drive of 275 yards, and all through he was driving a longer ball than Black. Black continued his golf of the last four holes right through the remaining holes of the afternoon, going out in nine fours and never taking more than two putts on any green. Ekstedt took 40 to go out, and he had not a six to show, but there were five s’s where the standard shows only three s’s. His main difficulty was his putting, being mainly short when the strain was on.-

PROFESSIONAL MATCHES A. J. Shaw was too powerful a player for C. C. Clements, who could scarcely at any time get inside him. Shaw did the first nine holes of the afternoon round in 33, made up of against Clement’s 454346546 —41. Shaw was thus five up at the turn. During the round he was twice out of bounds. But for those two occasions he played well-night faultless golf, lining up all the way. Clements was satisfied enough with his play, but it is a heart-breaking task playing against a man whose game is such that you feel you are compelled to keep was driving accurately from the tees, but he had always the longer and more difficult work to do at the other end. Then, when he thought he had sate fours, Shaw would play up with q beautiful chip or mashie or approach putt, ana turn his safety into anxiety. Shaw was playing well within himself in the morning, though not quite so soundly in the afternoon. Even then Clements could make no impression on him. In the second round Shaw took 40 to go out and Clements 38. Shaw had him at all stages. ... _ Best Match of the Day.

The best match by far of the day was that between E. J. Moss and E. G. Douglas. The two resemble each other in no; thing, unless it be that both are short in height. Moss is the slighter build, though well knit, while Douglas is very sturdily built. Moss plays along precisely and carefully taking no risks, particularly on the greens, while Douglas, not dwelling over long on all his other shots, is lightning itself in his putting. He seems impulsively so, though he gets the results. Neither player is inclined to worry over any breaks in luck or over bad.- shots. Those things are put behind them as gone beyond recall. In matters of luck the good fortune was with Douglas, Who stymied Moss on two greens, and then, when Douglas stymied himself on the eighteenth, the balls were within six inches, and therefore Moss had to be lifted. In the morning round, and for a large part of the second, Moss, while playing straight with his iron shots, his chip shots or his approach putts, was always short. ‘Douglas, on the other hand, was inclined to be strong. Both played flawlessly down the fairways. Douglas got in an tearly lead of 2 up in. the morning round, and it was not until the sixteenth green that Moss became 1 up, an advantage he threw away at the next hole through bad putting. Neek-and-neck Play. In the afternoon they were at it again neck-and-neck, after Douglas a second time got his early lead. At no stage were there more than two holes separating the pair. Douglas's card read for the, morning : — ■ Out: 444544454—38 In: 354444544—36 Moss’s morning card read: — Out: 545335444—37 In: 453542464—37 In the afternoon Douglas’s card read: — Out: 445445544—39 In: 353444445—37 Moss’s afternoon card was:— Out: 456435444—39 In: 344345446—35 It will be noted that there was nothing record-breaking abput it, but when it is realised that it was match played of two even contestants and all the strain entailed, the game will stand out among the most’ magnificent seen in New Zealand championship golf. Victory may be said to have rested with Moss by virtue of the improvement in length in his iron play in the inward journey of the second round, and to the fact that Douglas took a puttbr at the eighteenth, when his ball was off the green, instead of clipping up with his mashie, and then, when he had laid himself a stymie and again took his putter, missing the curl, the hole, and the match.

Bearing in mind tbit from the tees both were perfection in straightness, except for a very slight pull two or three times by Douglas, and a costly one by Moss at the tenth in the morning, when’ his elub slipped, the following were briefly incidents of the match. It must be remembered, too, that Moss was inclined to be short with,bis irons in the morning and half the afternoon. At the first Moss missed a 3ft. putt. At the third Douglas laid Moss a stymie, which he failed to negotiate. Douglas 2 up. Bad putting lost Douglas the short fifth, making the game all square. Moss Loses the Sixth. Moss lost the sixth when his 10ft. putt just lipped the hole tor a half. At the Bth Moss made Douglas putt a foot putt, which Douglas did somewnat carelessly, so it seemed, and missed: all square. Moss’s club slipped In his hand at the short 10th and he found a bunker when he got on the green with an explosion shot. Douglas stymied him. Moss losing the hole. The eleventh was halved in five, after fine recoveries from the rough. A missed short putt at the short, twelfth lost Douglas the hole; all square. Moss lost the 13th through falling to remember the maxim: "Never up; never In.” At the 15th (212 yds.). Moss waS just past the hole. Douglas was short and putted badly, taking 4 to Moss’s 2; all square. Moss became 1 up for the first time at the 15th through playing his chip too strongly and missing putts. Douglas got the hole back at the 17th by stymieing Moss, and then, at the 18th, Douglas stymied himself, but within the limit, and a half was declared, the morning round being all square. A missed short putt cost Moss the 20tb and a badly-played 21st also went to Douglas. Douglas was now 2 up. Douglas practically threw the 23rd away by bad putting, after being on the green from the tee and MOss being short of it.

A Good Recovery,

Moss made a good recovery with a long brsssie after a duffed drive at the 24th and got > half. At to* 25th Mow became

all square again when his rnanhie approach hit the pin fulll and square, the ball staying alongside the hole. At the 2Gth Moss s soft putt just stopped an inch from the hole, a half resulting. The 20th, the longest hole, was faultlessly played by Moss holing a long putt for a 4. This made Moss 1 up. Moss threw away the 30th when he tried an explosion shot from a bunker, where the floor was bard and firm. He had a glorious chance for a half but the ball ran through into the long grass. A clean chip would have done the trick. Moss retrieved brilliantly with a great 3 at the 31st. A badly plnyed 33rd left the pair all square. A long putt by Douglass at the 35th gave him a much needed half, as he had taken three to get on the green to Moss’s two. The 30th was lucky for Moss and a tragedy for Douglas. The reasons have been already explained.

PLAY FOR LADIES’ TITLE

FINALISTS IN CONTEST

MISS KAY AND MRS. DODGSHUN

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Christchurch, October 2. The semi-finals of the New Zealand ladies’ golf championship were played at Shirley links to-day. The weather was clear and fine, except for a fairly strong easterly wind, which blew for the greater part of the day. Conditions otherwise were excellent. To-day’s matches were those between Miss Oliver Kay (St. Clair, Dunedin) and Miss Chystall (Christchurch), and Mrss. Dodgshun (Otago) against Mtss O. Stevens (Otago). Miss Kay beat Miss Chrystall, 8 up and 6to play; and Mrs. Dodgshun beat Miss Stevens, 4 up and 2 to play. The final between Miss Kay and Mrs. Dodgshun will be played to-morrow over 36 holes. , . Miss Kay’s golf was superb m every way. and although Miss Chrystall was not .on her best game, and had a little the worse of the luck, she could not have held the brilliant young winner in any event. Going out Miss Kay beat bogey at two holes, and was beaten by bogey at one. and her score over the first half equalled the bogey count. Only three more holes required to be played after the turn, and her score for them was one under the bogey total. Her outward journey, which included five at the short third hole, was sparkling golf in every WBy ’ Miss Stevens Off Form.

Miss Stevens failed to reproduce the form she showed in earlier rounds until after the turn has been reached. At this point she was five down, and the position was hopeless against such a steady performer as Mrs. Dodgshun. The latter's driving was better than her opponent’s, though neither was consistent on. the tee, and her putting and approach work were superior. Miss Stevens made a very gallant attempt to pull the game out of the fire. At “Land's End she missed an eighteen-inch putt for a win, and at "The Pines” she was stymied after playing well to the green. The tee shots at the first hole gave Miss Stevens a decided advantage, but the players halved the hole in sixes. After two fine drives at the second, and a deadly approach by Miss Stevens, Mrs. Dodgshun put down a great putt and they halved in four. Miss Dodgshun won the third with a good three, and at the next hole both players got into trouble all the way and halved in sevens. Miss Stevens was short with her iron after a good tee shot at the fifth, and had a 25ft. putt for a half, Mrs. Dodgshun being dead with three. She failed, and Mrs. Dodgshun took the hole, 4— o, making her 2 up. The sixth went to Mrs. Dodgshun, 5 —6. After a half at the seventh excess of care put Miss Stevens into the creek at “Terra Nova, while Mrs. Dodgshun played excellent golf, giving her the hole with a good four. Mrs. Dodgshun was 4 up at this point. A poor approach and difficult putt cost Miss Stevens the next hole also, and she was 4 down at the turn.

Innes Cup TOahifc’ Match.

At the next hole Miss Stevens regisr tered her first win in the match, getting on the green with a wonderful wood shot. She won the hole 5-—6. lhe eleventh was halved and at the twelfth a stymie cost Miss Stevhns the bole. After flufling her tee shot on to the face ot the hill at “Old Nick.” Miss Stevens played a marvellous approach to within lour feet of the pin with her mashie niblick, eventually winning the hole 3—4. Mrs. Dodgshun was 4 up here with 5 to play. With a five-foot putt the next hole was won by Miss Stevens, 4 —5. Steady play on both sides resulted in a half at the fifteenth, 3—3, making Mrs. Dodgshun dormie 3. Good play at the next hole won Mrs. Dodgshun the match, 4 up and 2 to play. The prize for the second bogey nandicap was won in the first division by Miss Betty Rutherford, 1 down; Mrs. Wooding, 2 down, was second. Mrs. Wooding won the Rattrfty Cup for the best aggregate in the two bogey matches, her score being 3 down. A tie in the Innes Cup teams’ match between Christchurch A and Auckland A was played off to-day and won by Auckland A. Details' are: Auckland (Miss Payton 88, Miss Culling 85, Miss Rathbone 84. Mrs. R. L. Wilson 86), total 343; Christchurch A (Miss Chrystall 84, Miss Beadei 86, Miss Craeroft Wilson 87, Mrs. Godby 88), total 345. TITAHI CLUB. The weekly bogey competitions of the Titahi Golf Club were won by Murphy and Wallace. The one-club competition, for a trophy presented by Mr. D. Sloane, will be played next week-end. HUTT CLUB. The following will represent the Hutt Club in its match with the Wellington 'Club on Saturday:—A team at Hutt: R. Wagg, R. O. Chesney, W. A. Kirker, S. Hogg, J. N. Crawford, H. K. Adamson, J. Buist, L. C. Hemery, J. Flanagan, W. G. Fisher, S. T. A. Scott, T. Wagg. B team at Heretaunga: G. R. Roberts, S. P. London, R. G. Hayward, It. L. Ingham, G. Andrews, A. M. Cousins, O. Heketa, H. N. Rose, G. L. Goodwin, W. H. Zander, M. Evans, H. N. Burns. Emergencies : A. N. Slater, A. N. Todd.