F. RUTTER WINS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 32, 1 November 1930, Page 12

F. RUTTER WINS

Professional Golf NEW ZEALAND TITLE J. D. Mclntosh Outdriven Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, October 31. In winning the professional golf title to-day, from J. D. Mclntosh, the 1926 and 1927 champion and run-ner-up to A. J. Shaw in 1928, F. Rutter, the Glendowie (Auckland) professional, fully merited his success. Hutter's superidr physique and strength of wrist enabled him to outdrive Mclntosh, whose seconds in the afternoon round were invariably inefficient. Mclntosh was also unable to obtain much length with his strokes from the tees and went under to an older and more experienced opponent. Rutter’s putting improved in the afternoon and had he not been laid a stymie on the twenty-sixth Teen he would have been three under 4’s for the first ..ihe holes. As it was he finished up two under 4’s for the first half in the afternoon. Mclntosh commenced by taking the first hole in scratch figures, Rutter chipping his approach into a bunker. Steady 4’s halved the second, while at the third Mclntosh, over-running t’ o green with his second and taking two putts, lost the hole to Rutter. All square. .At the fourth (168 yards) Mclntosh placed his tee shot on the edge of the green and ran' down a 40ft. putt for a win in 2—4. On the fifth green both were nicely on with their thirds and Mclntosh sank a Oft. putt for a win, Rutter taking two putts. Mclntosh 2 up. The sixth also went to Mclntosh, and though he was too strong with his second his return approach brought him within inches of the pin. Rutter was safely on in three, but needing two putts he lost the hole to Mclntosh, the latter now standing 3 up. An Atrocious Lie.

Rutter sliced his ball off the fairway playing to the seventh and came perilously close to losing a stroke through being out of bounds. . Though Rutter had an atrocious lie for his second he used his spoon and made a good recovery, taking three to reach the green. Mclntosh was slightly short with his second, but a good approach gave him a possible putt for a 4. His ball, however, lipped the can and a halve in s’s resulted.

Rutter’s tee shot to the short Bth landed close to the pin. Mclntosh was in the rough near a bunker with his tee shot, and approaching too strongly he took 4 to sink his ball, Rutter being down in 3. Mclntosh two up. Mclntosh's. 18 foot putt for a two at the Oth hit the back of the tin and rolled out again. Rutter had bad luck with his putt for a halve, and Mclntosh turned for home three up.

At the 10th Mclntosh approached overstrongly with his second, but playing a good return approach, he succeeded in obtaining a halve with Rutter who, after being in a good position with his third, missed his putt for a win, his ball being deflected by the lie of the ground. Mclntosh, who was usually playing his seconds before Rutter, outdrove him by fully 40 yards playing to the 11th greeu. Both were over the green in the rough with their thirds. Rutter played a better approach, Mclntosh’s going right across to the opposite end of the green. Bad putting caused the hole to be halved in 6’s. Sheer, carelessness cost Rutter the 12th hole.' Both were an equal distance from the pin with their seconds, and Rutter struck his ball without troubling to take up his putting stance. Mclntosh four up. Both Rutter and Mclntosh had good positions for 4’s at the 13th, but indifferent putting caused the hole to be halved in s’s. Good Recovery. Mclntosh drove his ball into a bunker at the 14th, but making a splendid recovery he reached the green with his second, and though stymied' by Rutter he managed to get round the stymie and halve the hole in 4’s. Both were handy on the green at the lath with their seconds; Rutter reduced his deficit here by sinking a 20-footer for 3, Mclntosh taking a steady 4. Mclntosh 3 up. Mclntosh pulled bis drive into the rough at the 16th, and sent his second into a bunker. His approach was too strong and Rutter annexed the hole In 4-5. Mclntosh two up. Rutter was well on the 17th green in two, Mclntosh being short, but playing a good approach he sank his first putt and obtained a half, Rutter taking two putts. Rutter just failed to sink a putt for a three at the 18th, which was halved in scratch 4’s. Mclntosh was thus two up at the 18th: Afternoon Round. The first hole in the afternoon was halved in steady 4’s, while at the next, the twentieth, Mclntosh played an indifferent second, his chip up to the pin having to go through casual water, and he was short. Rutter was on with his second, and annexed the hole after two orthodox putts. Mclntosh 1 up. Mclntosh again sent another weak second away at the twenty-first, while Rutter’s second was close up. McIntosh had to chip up and take two putts, Rutter going down in 4 to stand all square.

At the short twenty-second Rutter holed out brilliantly by sinking a 20-foot putt for a “birdie” 2, and stood one up for the first time in the match.

Mclntosh topped his second at. the twenty-third hole, his ball going into a bunker, and he took two strokes to get out. Rutter was handy with his second, and after a good approach he sank his second putt and stood 2 up. Rutter drove a terrifically long ball against the wind and straight down the fairway at the twenty-fourth. Mclntosh pulled his to the left, and was short with his second. Rutter took his No. 3 iron and placed his second close to the pin, but Mclntosh's chipped approach gave him a 7ft. putt for a half. At the twenty-fifth Rutter again had another lengthy drive, Mclntosh slicing his into the rough. He extricated himself cleverly, but was short of the green. Chipping up, he was again short, and taking two putts he lost the hole to Rutter, who was on in two and down in 4. Rutter 3 up. Neither drove straight toward the twenty-sixth green, Rutter slicing his and Mclntosh pulling his. Rutter, however, chipped up to within five feet of the pin, Mclntosh being three feet further away. The latter missed his putt and stymied Rutter, the hole being halved in 4’s. Rutter’s tee shot was close to the pin on the twenty-seventh green, Mclntosh’s going clean over a bunker into the trees. He reached the green with his second, but taking two putts he lost the hole to Rutter, who was down in 3. Rutter 4 up. Playing to the twenty-eighth, Rutter drove straight into the island bunker, but fortunatelj' his ball was in a good position and he reached the green with his second. Mclntosh placed his second 20 feet from the pin, and going down in 4 he won the hole from Rutter, who had to take two putts after his approach. This was the only hole Mclntosh won in the afternoon round. Rutter 3 up. Rutter Obtains Upper Ilnnd. Mclntosh pulled his second playing to the twenty-ninth, and had to play ills third out of a very bad lie. He could not play directly on to the green, but had to negotiate a cluster of trees, and needing two putts, he went down in 6, Rutter being down in 5. Rutter 4 up. Rutter pulled bis tee shot at the thirtieth. Mclntosh was near the pin, and was down in 3. Rutter approached to within 15ft. of the cup, and sank his putt for a half.

At the thirty-first Rutter struck a tree with his second but playing a perfect third he had an Bft. putt for a 4. Mclntosh was on in three, but took two putts, and Rutter teed up for the thirty-second green dormy 5. The end came on the thirty-second green, where. Mclntosh had to return to the tee to play another ball, his drive having gone out of bounds. He fared no better with his second drive, and he conceded the hole to Rutter, who thus won the professional championship for the first time, winning from MeJntoeh <5 and 4, .