GREAT GOLFER

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 143, 13 March 1931, Page 2

GREAT GOLFER

Duncan’s Two Titles BRILLIANT 67

(By

“Niblick.”)

It will be many a long day before any golfer in the Dominion will equal the great record, which Arthur Duncan, the “Grand Old Man” of New Zealand golf, has built up in this country. Winning his first New Zealand amateur championship in 1899, he annexed the national title again in 1900, 1901, 1905, 1907, 1909, 1911, 1914, 1922, and’l926. Just think for a moment what the winning of the amateur championship of the Dominion teu times really means. In the first place, Arthur Duncan, in every one of these competitions, had first of all to qualify in competition with the best golfers in the Dominion. This successfully accomplished, he had then to meet the leading players in round after round, and go on to win the final. ■ ’ Next to Arthur Dunean comes Sloan Morpeth, who annexed the title in 1920, 1927, and 1929. Spencer Gollan won it twice, and B. B. Wood twice. But as a further proof of his ability as a golfer, Arthur Duncan won the New Zealand Open Championship, in 1907, 1910, and 1911, in which years he proved himself not only superior to the best amateur golfers of the Dominion, but the leading professionals as well. It was not so long ago that Arthur Duncan crossed the Tasman with the New Zealand golf team, and defeated Ivo Whitton, the then amateur champion of the Commonwealth. Truly, his record is a great one. A Peerless 67. Arthur Duncan is playing almost as well to-day as at any time in his long and brilliant career. In December last, he won the championship of the Miramar club, and recently he added the championship of the Wellington club to his honours. Two championships in the one season stamps him as the outstanding local player for 1930-31. But it was in his manner of taking thq club’s championship that Arthur Duncan proved that he is playing as well to-day as ever he did. He defeated John Duncan in the final by 12 up and 11 to play, and in doing so did a round of 67, 34 out and 33 home. Eight 3’s figured on this great card. Arthur Duncan is still among the first flight of New Zealand golfers.