OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 73, 24 September 1923, Page 3

OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

MOST EXCITING FINISH

A. DUNCAN RUNNER-UP.

(51 TELEGRAPH.) (From "Baffy."")

WANGANUI, 23rd September. Arthur Brooks, the professional attached to the Hutt Club, is again Open Golf Champion of New Zealand, after one of the most exciting finishes ever witnessed in the event. My tale-gram on Saturday showed that Ham was leading by three strokes from about four others He left again early in the afternoon with Black as partner, and word soon filtered back that he had crashed, and Black was level with him after being five strokes behind to start. This left a large number of spectators at a loss who to watch, particularly as reports from each set of players indicated that disastrous results were being obtained by all those who were in the leading positions. Ham . was worried concerning early bad holes, and did not show eigns of making.a.recovery, while Black held him and gradually drew ahead. Close l>ehmd was Arthur Duncan, fightine for every stroke, while behind him tame others, not one with a tale of fortune. Gradually the crowd, collected at the last green to watch the leaders come in Then started-a run of identical scores, each of the leaders taking the number necessary to make a total of 3H It finally saw four in the'first position, with Brooks to come, but it was known Brooks had .taken 45 to go out, so nothing was expected of him. Brooks was crowded by the spectators, and after almost coming tp angry words with them, he pitch a full mashie short, and narrowly missed bunkers, but- got a four It was only when Brooks was rushed) by the few who knew, and enthusiastically congratulated him; that it was realised he had made a wonderful recovery to win the championship by two strokes. Unhampered by followers he had totalled up his card at the ninth, realised what he would probably have to do, and set out Playing with-the advantage of a high wind, except at a couple of holes, he came home in a score showing seven fours and two threes, a really brilliant effort when every stroke counted, and not one could be spared. He almost set his partner, Tareha, an example in driving:, and putted brilliantly-4 brilliant performance under the circumstances. VVheiyt was all over, the score board showed the following to be the result :-

• indicate professionals, and numbers the position of amateurs who qualified for the amateur championship, and who will be drawn under the automatic draw system.

Collins scratched from the amateur championship.

Other completed scores made : L. D. Hurst 355, A. Siefert 349, S. Turner 357, E. Knight 364, C. R. Riddell 355, H. Gillies 372, J. S. Harrison 361, K. Goldingham 363, M. H. Godly 364 O. H. Druce 3/1, J. M. Huseey 369, R. D. Whyborne 374. R. C. Kirk 350 L Speedy 350, W. O'Callaghan 363, S. Powdrell 363. ■.

The strong wind naturally interfered to a great extent with the play, but did not in any way justify the scoring that was seen, much of which was due to common' errors as well as to faulty short work and putting. Ham, with a lead that gave him a fine position, immediately commenced to lose it, taking six. at the second through not beinp; up with hig approach, which rolled back. Black caught up a stroke here, but the tragedy occurred at the short fourth, where both were short. Black holed out a mashie approach, while Ham, after wandering all over the poor green, eventually holed out in six, followed a couple of holes later by another six. A most unfortunate outward trip cost 46, while Black, after playing a couple of had holes, was 41. On the way home Black got two strokes up, and Ham, playing desperately to save every stroke, finally finished with one stroke to the bad, gaining one from Black on the last hole, where Black went into a bunker with a drive.

A couple of holes behind, Duncan was playing nearly as badly. His card out read 456366473. At the eighth he hook T ed three balls in succession out of bounds from the tee, while hi 3 caddie, with despair in her heart, peeled the covers off new balls to replace each ball as it cost Duncan a stroke. Geting the ■ wind behind Duncan also played well on the way home, finishing with a beautiful three.

Clements, who was only two strokes behind Ham when the morning was over, took 41 both way, with one six in the first half and a, seven in the second. Seeing that all these were scoring so badly, eyes turned to Hood, but nothing better was coming there. He took 45 out, his card reading 565457554. He came in in 36, including a two at the thirteenth, where lie holed out his second to secure what Americans call an Albatross,—three under bogev^ Black proved himself the most steady golfer of the championship, being the only one who kept under 80. Two strokes a round off his' scores on Saturday would have given him the championship, and my earlier estimate of four 77's winning would have proved right. This scoring should have been attained ', even considering Saturday's wind, which mado the low scores of the first day im-, probable, though Ham did a very fine 76 this morning, while Shaw and Clements were prominent, and Seymour did a particularly bright 77 Of those who went out on Saturday afternoon there was not- one who was not feeling nearly worn out after solid practice, and the rounds of the first day under abnormally hot conditions followed by punching against wind most of the morning. Then again in the afternoon it was wearying, hard work trying to keep length or direction a?ain°t the wind, and by the time the players ?ot back to ths field to make the final dash one and all felt that they were glad of the end: Now it is ovtr for another year; th« but man hu won,

and at the. club, the conversations are fujl of useless but consoling "ifs" and "what I did here," etc.

*ot 2»« 3rd 4th ll:£X^ % n » .«« •F. G. Hood 78 7« '81 8 ™ •J. A. Clement, 74 SO 78 82 JIJ A. J. ah aw ... 82 7S 77 co ■ '»n .«• X- Blair ... 85 .76 79 81.. s-'l 5. J. Harold 77. 82 S3 i? ?oi •E. J.-Mosn ■...:.. SO . 80 84 82 w «. T. H. Horton 77 ?? & g |JJ 7. J- Goss 80 S3 81 li w •\C. Collln. ... 80 82 8 8J |? 10. Dr. 80.8 79 82 §2 -IJ *J- G»Ho»ay 85 80 84 85 384 2- P- Wagg 86 84 81 84 335 13. R. George S3 75 •89 89 TW ]\- »■ Wwte 83 88 81 S 2S 15. G. Richmond ... 84 77 90 Rfi 117 IS. H. B. Tnmtbeck 80 83 8? 1? w '0. B Fonent ... 82 87 85 84 338 *J. M'Cormack ... 84 79 89 86 338 "• J- Qi'D ■•■• 81 85 86 86 . 338 18. J. Sounders ... 80 86 85 88 ■ 339 19. A. B Wooa ... S3 81 M If 339 22-^ KW D'; n. caD - 81 S5 So 87 359 •G. W ll'Rac ... SS 84 87 83 310 21. A. E. Ekstedt 82 91 85 81 340 oo !?•"' yrais- "^--.— "...88. 84 87 89 340 22. A. A. Sttchhnry 84 90 S3 83 340 23. I. Quiii 86 84 82 90 342 24. P. Gray: 85 81 8S 88 342 25. J. li. Petley ... 88 84 89 84 343 26. H. J. Shanks ... 02 81 88 82 343 27. F. Fryer 87 87 82 89 345 28. J. Duncan 85 81 94 86 346 29. F. S. Parkes ... 80 85 04 87 346 30. H. W. MacFarlane 84 8« 88 89 347 31. E. O. Gardner 86 86 82 93 347 32. T. A. Goulding 80 86 95 86 347