ALL SQUARE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 163, 7 April 1934, Page 9

ALL SQUARE

International Golf * Contest PLAY IN FOURSOMES Honours Even at Encl of First Day’s Games (By Telegraph—From “Niblick.”) Auckland, April 6. . After viewing the opening day's play in the Kirk-Windeyer Cup contest on the Middlemore links to-day, it is impossible to say on which side of the Tasman the standard of golf is higher. Play in the foursomes resulted in each side winning a game. Though conditions were ideal, the standard of play was not high. This was probably accounted for by the fact Unit a light north-easterly wind was blowing, while the links were designed for southerly winds. Eric Apperly, captain and sole selector of the New South Wales team, decided to stand down himself owing to the fact that he recently contracted an attack of influenza. The result was that P. F. Hughes and W. R. Dobson opposed B. V. Wright, the New Zealand amateur champion, and T. H. Horton, captain of the New Zealand team, in the No. 1 match, while H. M. Cutler and C. C. Ruwald met the New Zealand colts, B. M. Silk (Wanganui) and P. J. Hornabrook (Masterton). Battle of the No. I’s. Wright and Horton started off brilliantly by taking the first hole (370yds.) in 3to 5. The second hole was halved in 5 and the third (402yds.) in bogey. The New Zealanders were right on their game at the fourth hole, which they took in a “birdie” 4 to 6, the Australians showing a preference for the bunkers. After a half In sat the fifth (390yds.) the New Zealanders drew 3 up by recording another “birdie” 3 at the sixth (340yds.), which cost the Australians 6. Horton here ran down a 24ft. putt. Good golf was witnessed at the next two holes, which were halved in bogey 3 and 4 respectively. The Australians got one back at the ninth (570yds.), where they recorded a bogey 5 to the New Zealanders’ 6. Hughes here played a beautiful iron third within seven yards of the pin and the Dominion representatives turned for home 2 up. Wright and Horton had taken 37 out to the Australians’ 43. The next three holes were halved and the visitors got another one back at the short thirteenth (205yds.), where they recorded a bogey 3 to 4. Hughes here placed his tee shot on the green and sank a good putt. The Dominion pair drew 2 up again by taking the fourteenth (360yds.) in bogey 4 to 5. The fifteenth was halved in Indifferent s’s and the Australians got one back by taking the sixteenth (396yd5.) in 4to 5. An “eagle” 3 was recorded by the New Zealanders at the seventeenth (426yd5.), where Horton, following a fine drive by Wright, landed his iron second 6ft. from the pin and Wright made no mistake with the putt. The home hole was a tragedy for the Dominion pair, Wright planting his secend in the bunker. Horton was too strong in digging out and went out of bounds, and Wright, after redropping in the bunker, failed to get out The Australians were just through the green with their second and after Horton had placed his fifth on the green the New Zealanders abandoned the hole. The New Zealand pair thus went into lunch 1 up.

Australian Spurt,

Refreshed by the interval, the Australians squared* the match by taking the nineteenth in 4to 5. Horton here missed a 3ft. putt for a half. The visitors drex l ? 1 up for the first time in the match by recording a “birdie” 4 to 5 at the twentieth (405 yards). Wright here failed to sink a oft. putt for a half. The Australians drew 2 up by registering an “eagle” 3 at the twenty-first (402yds.), the hole costing the New Zealanders 5. The Dominion representatives got one back with a “birdie” 4 to 5 at the twenty-second (420yds.). The next hole was halved in 4, and Wright and Horton squared the. game once more by taking the twenty-fourth in 4 to 5. The New Zealanders now came on to their game and drew 2 up by registering 3’s at the next two holes and they made it. 3 up by taking the long twenty-seventh in 5 to 6. The New Zealanders, who had taken 38 for the run out to their opponents’ 40, thus headed for home with the comfortable lead of 3 up. The Australians got one back at the twenty-eighth with a bogey 3. The next hole was halved in an indifferent 5 and the visitors, who were fighting well, reduced their deficit to 1 up at the thirtieth, which they took in 4 to 5 by laying a stymie. Wright and Horton drew 2 up again by registering a bogey 3 to 4 at the thirty-first (205yds.), where Wright found the green from the tee. The thirty-second was halved in 5. Horton’s drive ended up in front of some trees to the left of the fairway and Wright played a magnificent pitch right over the trees and had bad luck in finding a bunker.

Both pairs had a stormy passage going to the thirty-third, which was eventually taken by the Dominion pair in 5 to 6. The Australians called up applause by taking the next two holes in 4 to 5. i In the other game the Australians squared the game at the seventeenth, which they took 4 to 5. Both Silk and Ruwpld found bunkers off the eighteenth and a raggedly played hole saw the game all square at the luncheon adjournment. There was little improvement in the play in the afternoon. Silk and Hornabrook took the first hole, while the Australians again squared the game at the twentieth, where Cutler sunk an eighteen-footer for a 4. Wild play by the New Zealanders saw the twentyfirst go to the Australians after Hornabrook had duffed his third info a bunker and Silk was much too strong in getting out. Cutler and Ruwald drew two up at the twenty-second, when Silk badly duffed a short approach. Ruwald here made a fine recovery from a bunker. The next four boles were halved. The New Zealanders got one back at the twentyseventh, which they took in 5 to 6, leaving Australia 1 up at the turn. The New South Welshmen had gone out in 39 to the New Zealanders’. 31. The Dominion team squared the game at the twenty-ninth after halving the twenty-eighth, the visitors picking no after getting into sad trouble. The game see-sawed in flic run home. The Australians had the best of some

I ragged play and eventually took the I match by 2 up. The singles will be played to-morrow. COMMENT ON PLAY Standard Disappointing AVERAGE ROUND ABOUT 80 By. Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, April 6. With one success to each of ti* Now Zealand and New South Wales teams, honours were even at the end of the first day’s play in the contest for the KirkWindeyer Cup, T. H. Horton and B. V. Wright (New Zealand) beat W. R. Dobson and P. F. Hughes (New South Wales), 1 up, while C. C. Ruwald and H. M. Cutler (New South Wales) defeated B. M. Silk and J. P. Hornabrook (New Zealand). 2 up. The weather was beautifully fine and warm. There was a large attendance of the public, more particularly in the afternoon. The majority of the spectators followed No. 1 match in the morning, but the gallery was more evenly divided after lunch. E. L. Apperly, New South Wales, captain, stood down, but he will participate in the singles to-morrow. The course was a little faster than it had been when the players practised upon it earlier in the week, and all eight failed at times to gauge the changed conditions. Almost without exception the standard of play was disappointing. This is revealed by the figures, as the average of the round was about 80, or seven strokes worse than the. scratch score for the course—a true indication of the golf played. The chief weakness of the New Zealand teams was their putting and lack of confidence which the pairs appeared to have in each other. Both Horton and Wright putted lamentably at times ,for which little excuse could be found seeing that the greens were in such perfect condition.

Silk and Hornabrook were not a happv combination, playing throughout with'little cohesion. .Both made far too many mistakes at critical times for participants in a test match. This was particularly the case at the fifteenth hole in the afternoon, when Silk displayed very bad judgment, and it can truly be said that the result of the match hinged on the playing of this hole, Wright drove well throughout, hut he was indecisive on the greens. Horton was not up to his usual standard, developing a dangerous hook with his tee shots which at times gave his partner a difficult line to the hole.

Dobson cpiite unaccountably failed in his greatest strength, high shots to the green, cutting them into waiting bunkers on four or five occasions. Hughes was very shaky at the start, and it was only toward the end of the first round and later in the afternoon that he really settled down to give a glimpse of his capabilities. Silk’s long game was most unreliable, many of his drives and second shots being badly hit, but he made amends several times by sinking useful putts, one at the thirteenth of fully 30ft, being a brilliant effort. _ Hornabrook drove fairly well, and made some good recoveries from bad shots by his partner, but he was weak on the greens.

The quality of the golf played by both Ruwald and Cutler scarcely deserved the result obtained. Too many drives were pulled and hazards were encountered much too frequently, but fortunately for the pair their opponents were unable to take advantage of these mistakes. However, the finishing effort of the Australians cannot be overlooked, as they won two of the last three holes and halved the final one. The fact that each side had won one match with the visitors leading by a narrow margin of one hole in the event of a final tie, lends greater interest to the singles matches, which will be decided tomorrow. Judging by the attendance to-day there is every likelihood of a record crowd for an Auckland golf match being present to-day. The Governor-General will be among the spectators, and he will present the Kirk-Windeyer Cup to the winning team at the conclusion of the play. CHANGES IN TEAMS Menzies to Play To-day Auckland, April 6. Changes have been made in both golf teams for the singles matches. Apperly (New South Wales), captain, replaces Cutlet, and will play in third position in opposition to Hornabrook. Menzies comes into the New Zealand team in fourth place and he will meet Ruwald. The inclusion of the Auckland club member will be popular with local followers of the game. Menzies and Ruwald will leave the first tee at 9.45 a.m. and the order of play of other pairs will be: Hornabrook v. Apperly, Wright v. Hughes, Horton v. Dobson. WOMEN’S TOURNEY Play at Christchurch By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, April 6. The women’s golf tournament was continued to-day. Although the weather was perfect and the course easy, the standard of play was disappointing. In (he championship match play rounds results were:—Miss V. Fleming beat Mrs. McKillop, 4 and 3; Miss K. Johnston beat Miss J. Stevenson, 6 and 4; Miss E. White Parsons bent Miss M. Beadel at the nineteenth ; Miss Loughnan beat Miss Barns-Graham. 2 and 1. Semi-final: Miss Fleming boat Miss Johnston, 2 and 1; Miss White Parsons beat Miss Loughnan, 6 and 5. The final will be played to-morrow mffl-ning. __________