GOLF CHAMPIONS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 43, 14 November 1932, Page 11

GOLF CHAMPIONS

Prizes Presented by His Excellency HIGH PRAISE FOR LINKS “We require no tbanks for coming out here to one of the most beautiful golf corses in the world, and presenting the prizes won at this so highly successful tournament,” said the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe, in presenting tbe prizes at the close of the New Zealand golf championship tournament at Heretaunga on Saturday afternoon. The ceremony took place in the open near the first tee, and was attended by over a thousand people. Tbe table which contained the cups and trophies presented a most attractive picture, and, as his Excellency remarked, it did not seem that there was room for another trophy, which, he said, her Excellency, who was present, and he would be very pleased to present. The president of the Wellington Golf Club, Mr. L. O. H. Tripp, presided, and expressed the satisfaction it had given the club that the tournament had proved such a success. He thanked their Excellencies for attending, and also the groundsman and his staff for the excellent condition of the links. After congratulating tbe winners of the various championships, Mr. Tripp said the club desired to particularly congratulate A. D. S. Duncan upon the splendid showing he had made in coming second in the open championship, and working his way into the semi-finals in the amateur championship. For a player who had won his first amateur championship away back in 1899, Mr. Duncan’s performances at the present tournament were remarkable.

The president went on to thank Mr. G. O. Sutton, secretary of the New Zealand Golf Association, and Mr. G. S. Swann for the valuable assistance they had given the committee in running the tournament.

His Excellency said that golf appeared to be the ideal form of reasoned physical exercise. It had been most interesting to watch the two young men who bad contested the final of the amateur championship that day pitting their strength and skill against each other. Golf, he said, deservedly enjoyed wide popularity in-this most beautiful of the British Dominions, and for its area New Zealand had more golf courses than any country in the world. After humorously describing his endeavours to dig out of a fearsome bunker on tbe Westward Ho links in England, Lord Bledisloe said that he hoped golf would continue to flourish in New Zealand. Everyone looked upon Mr. Arthur Duncan as the ideal type of athlete. To have won the amateur Championship of the Dominion ten times and the open championship three times, and still be able to show such outstanding form as he had done at the present time, stamped Mr. Duncan as an exceptional exponent of the game, and served to show how a man could still excel at a game if be concentrated bis attention upon it.

“I hope to see the day,” said his Excellency, “when a team of New Zealand golfers, composed of colts like Mr. Duncan and a few veterans round about 25 years will go Home, and challenge the leading players in the Old Land. Golf deserves to flourish, as it is a game which, teaches the useful lesson of concentration on one’s job.”

His Excellency then presented the prizes, addressing a few cheery words and giving a hearty handshake to each winner as he came forward.