FERRIER BEATEN

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 209, 1 June 1936, Page 9

FERRIER BEATEN

Magnificent Golf In Amateur Final

DRAMATIC FINISH

Thomson Plays Brilliantly To Win 2 Up By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received May 31, 6.30 p.m.) London, May 30. x In the final for the British amateur golf championship H. Thomson (Scotland) beat J. Ferrier (Australia), 2 up. The match was the finest final ever played at St. Andrews for the amateur chainpionshp. The quality of the go.’f was unequrled, and the dramatic finish unsurpassed. Thomson's father, who is a golf professional, and who refused to watcli the last few shots, was among the first to congratulate his son. Ferrier told the Associated Press agency: ‘‘That’s all right. It has been a great game. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My putting let me down.” Thomson was c° ol and collected as if he were going out for h:s first round. He said ho was glad he had won the cup for Scotland after 10‘years.

A cold blustering wind was whipping breakers in the North Sea and chilled enthusiasts who assembled early to witness the final struggle for the blue riband of amateur golf. Ferrier won the first in four, Thomson taking three shots from the edge of the green. Thomson won the second in 4 to 5, and took the lead at the third with a birdie three. The fourth was perfectly halved with fours nnd the fifth halved with fives. At the sixth Ferrier holed a three-yarder, squaring the match. The next two were halved, then Ferrier became one up at the ninth, where Thomson missed a two-yard pntt for a half. The figures out were:— Thomson 543454435—37 Ferrier 455453434—37 Ferrier in Lead. Thomson took three putts at the tenth, leaving Ferrier two up. The eleventh was halved in three, Thomson just being on the lip of the hole in two. At the twelfth the Australian played a delightful shot, running up to the hole and winning with a birdie three, becoming three up. Thomson played a glorious approach at the thirteenth, hut Ferrier, from 30 yards out, ran almost dead and got his half. Ferrier drove out of bounds at the fourteenth and took another ball with a penalty of stroke nnd distance. Thomson won the hole. A fierce rain and hail storm now swept in from the sea, continuing for three holes. Thomson was now in fighting form and playing the fifteenth magnificently, he won with ti four, Ferrier taking three putts. Ferrier was now only one up. The Scottish crowd cheered Thomson’s win at the sixteenth, squaring the match. Ferrier’s tee shot went away out over the railway, leaving a difficult approach at the dreaded road hole. His second was through the green across the road three yards from the wall. His third hit the side of the green and fell back, but he got up with his next. Thomson, seeing his opponent’s difficulties, played with extreme caution, dribbling up his putt. Ferrier holed a desperate six-yarder, but Thomson missed a short putt and the hole, which appeared in the Scotsman's pocket, was halved in fives. Thomson missed another short putt at the eighteenth, which was halved in fours and the round ended all square. Figures coming in were:—

Thomson 534444454—37 Ferrier 433475554—40 Thomson’s round was 74 and Ferrier’s 77. Huge Crowd en Links. Conditions were still unpleasant at the start of the second round. The crowds by now stretched from’tee to green and dashed wildly forward after each shot. The stewards and the few police were unable to control them. The match was resumed with three halves in par figures. Thomson took the fo.urth and halved the fifth, in which his approach hit a spectator in the back and he missed a putt of about a yard.

It was now raining and blowing hard, but the golf was marvellous, the best ever seen in the final. Thomson was slightly superior at certain stages, but Ferrier’s courage an(l coolness repeatedly saved him.

From the sixth to the ninth Thomson delighted the crowd with magnificent golf- He ran down a four-yard putt at the sixth for a birdie three to take the lead, Ferrier missing a threefoot putt. The seventh was halved and Thomson became two up as the result of a beautiful second at the eighth. The ninth was halved. Figures out were:— Thomson 444453434 —35 Ferrier 444554444 —38 Thomson's Fine Finish. After halving the tenth Ferrier was beautifully on the green with his tee shot at the eleventh and won the hole in three. The twelfth and thirteenth were halved. Thomson’s brilliantly accurate approach gave him the fourteenth in four. Both missed putts at the fifteenth, which was halved in four. Thomson was bunkered with his tee shot at the sixteenth, but recovered well and holed a three-yard putt for a half. He was tiien dormy two. Thomson, playing for safety, was short with his second approaching the seventeenth, and Ferrier, going out courageously for bls shots, reached the green in two, winning the hole. At the last bole Thomson outdrove Ferrier by fully 15 yards- and then settled the issue with a masterly mashie shot which came to rest six inches from the hole, amid vast cheers from the multitude. Ferrier’s ball was six yards from the hole. He did not try to putt, but rushed forward heartily aud shook hands with the victor. Figures in were:— Thomson 444444453 —36 Ferriep ••••••■«• 434454444 —36 Thomson’s round was 71 and Ferrier’s 74. i 11. Thomson, aged 22, is a son of a Glasgow golf professional. He is the present Irish open champion and won the Scottish championship in 1934. He has played golf almost since he could walk and won his first competition over seven holes in a children’®