BRILLIANT GOLF

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 100, 25 October 1930, Page 10

BRILLIANT GOLF

l» SHAW SETS THE PACE BEATS OWN RECORD TWICE YOUNG- AMATEUJJS SHOW UP The first day or the Open Championship, 1930, will-be remembered by golfers for. two tilings—Shaw's smashing oC his own record of 70 for the Hokowhitu links, established in the Amateurs v. Professionals match the Wednesday previous, in his morning round in. the Open, and his smashing of the morning record in the afternoon, and also for the leading places taken by young golfers, the brightest augury for New Zealand golf's future. The standard of the golf of the opening day, in fact, was immeasurably better than that of last year, and there was little to choose in the conditions, though possibly Wanganui might have had the worse of that. Never, has. more interest been shown in a meeting, and the gallery was treated to thrills morning and afternoon. The course is in wonderfully good order, fairways perfect, a trifle heavy in the.low places, but with a fine sole of turf not cut too close, making the lies good, throughout a sporting course that is saved the stigma of being too stiff by the commodious greens. Wild shots are penalised, but for the scratch men who can place their shots in any weather the greens are neither hard to reach nor to stop on. Heavy bunkering there is, but, none of it. is misplaced, and even from most of the bnnkers- the penalty does not exceed haJf a stroke. The greens were in splendid condition for all those who had the putting touch—plenty of grass, but fast enough, and with.the advantage that all putfs could be struck firmly, while the surface was true. . * The arrangements made by the Matiawatu Golf Club were excellent, and the genial secretary (Mr. K. G. Chamberlain) had his assistants,well drilled, while Mr. A., .E. Hamilton, who had charge of the scoring board,, which was on the same excellent principle as at Wanganui, made it possible to follow the progress of individual players, while at the same time grasping the position at the moment, at a glimpse. There were over 100 entrants, but an early start got away: the last of the first round before' 11.30,- and the stragglers were all home by 5.30 p.m. Wild weather preceded the opening day, and casual water lay in odd places, but not sufficiently to cause trouble, as the water soon drains away. To-day it was blowing a strong, and . cold westerly with a cloudy sky, when the. first pair started off; and the wind increased to gale force in the afternoon, making conditions the reverse of pleasant, and effectively, adding strokes to the fair "weather golfers' cards. • . ... SHAW'S TWO RECORDS. If Shaw holds'his form he should be playing not in the New Zealand Open but in some of. the biggest international events. After establishing a record of 70 in match play just before the meeting, this morning, in . a gale and on heavy fairways, he broke his own" record for Hokowhitu with 69. He was partnered by A. D. S. Duncan. It was a round to be remembered. -He was putting for 3 on most scratch 4 holes, and occasionally sinking Jong ones, but chiefly for the shorter figures, as his approach putts left him. often ■• only'a perfunctory tap. The first hole in 3 was the last in the first nine in which he took only one putt, but he was out in 34—a tribute to his strong long game.' Taking the second (322 yards) in 1 4, the third (367 yards) in 5, the fourth (168 yards) in 3, the fifth (563 yards) in 5, the sixth (405 yards) in 4, and the seventh .(484 yards) in 3, he was.nicely on the eighth green. (196 yards) against a howling wind, and got his 3. A strong crosswind notwithstanding,- he was op the closely-trapped ninth in a beautiful iron shot, dead with his.nest and down in 3 — 34 out. The tenth was a wonder hols. Driving into 'the teeth of the wind, he found the bunker on the ' ..line to the hole. Most play this hole, as a dog leg. It-was a courageous attempt to carry ' the bunker, < and a tremendous crack under the conditions. Taking his mashie, he played a perfect shot.dead on the phi to a : heavily-rguarded green, and though it was in an exposed position, and he was hard put to it to stand still, he sank a six-footer for a 3 at this 300-yard hole. He was a trifle short with his iron second at the eleventh, a green sloping UDwards, with trouble all round, and overran the hole with his third, leaving himself a particularly nasty downhill putt of eight feet, with a stroiig cross-wind. He missed it, taking 5. His iron wasn't trifle strong into the wind at the 140-yard twelfth, and'he overran the hole, chipping back from behind the bank at the back of the green, and missed a longish pntt for a 3. ' Carrying the bunker at the thirteenth, over 200 yards, with his slightly pushed-out..drive, Shaw, stymied by a big kowhai, Was faced with a, highlofted shot to a sodden fairway, and was short of the .green, .nevertheless getting down in A at this 495-yard hole. At the fourteenth he was on the 360-yard green in 2 in a cross-wind, and sank a 12-footer for a 3. A 4 at the fifteenth (390 yards), where he was on the green with a drive and a short mashie with the wind, takingtwo putts, and a 5 at'the sixteenth (380 yards), where his second was pushed out a bit, leaving him a chip over the bunker, and where he missed a putt, were followed by a startling 3 at the 370-yard seventeenth, where he sank a 15-footer. All he needed was a 4 to break his own record of 70. A stinging drive into the wind, and a nice iron, put him on the green twenty feet from the hole, and he left himself only an easy putt. It was a great card: 345354433, 34: 354434534, 35. He took 17 putts out, and 14 putts in. REPETITION OF BRILLIANCE. Nobody espeeted' that he would even equal his morning round in the afternoon, but it gradually got about that he had gone out in-the same total for the outward nine, in this case .443355433, and there were quite a few people • who saw him take three putts for a 5 at; the tenth, where he had'secured a3 in the morning. It looked to everybody as though' he could. not equal , the morning card, but at the eleventh he took a. neat 4, as against his 5 of the morning, and also gained a stroke at the twelfth, which he took in 3, and when the position was-realised, people ran from all over the course to Join the gallery. He took the thirteenth in 4, and the fourteenth in 3. When he sank a 5-footer for a 3 at the fifteenth he was a stroke better than in the morning round. Driving a low ball hissing in,to the teeth of the wind, he carried the bunker at the sixteenth, and a stinging iron took . him within twelve feet of the pin at this 380-----yard hole. Just' then a machine-gun afc practice opened up in short bursts of fire in the next paddock, and twice Shaw was about to putt when it made him stop. Ho put his ball carefully up to the hole and took a 4, and was now two strokes better than in. the morning. Driving, a long ball out to the right to open up the seventeenth, he played an. iron phot dead on the pin. It ran straight for the cup, stopping a matter of inches away. Shaw .knocked the • ball-.in for a 3 (370 yards), and the excitement was at fever heat, as he only- needed a 4 to beat his record by 2. "it was not to be, however. He sliced iuto the crowd round the noticeboard, and was a trifle short witli histhird. He missed a nine-footer for the 4, but broke his record by a stroke nevertheless, great applause following. The card read:— 0ut—443355433 • 31 1n—543433435 34 • Total .....; 68 SCORES GENERALLY GOOD. With Shaw 15 stokes ahead of the field with a record aggregate of 137 for the first two rounds, speculation as to the winner of the event waned considerably, but it will be seen from the general run of' cards that the first dozen were good. The golf generally was of an excellent standard, and if it is maintained the1 tournament will be full of interest. The par for the course is 72, and with 3 strokes for. allotted difficulties, the standard scratch score is 75. The leading cards were well vp1 to this under the conditions, and the meeting may see a new standard of qualifying cards. NOTES ON THE PLAY. One of the unluckiest men in the tourney was P. D. Danicll (Miramar). At th©

eleventh (Land's End), he saw his iron second disappear in the rough, and carefully marked the line. Finding a ball that looked identical with his own at about the right spot, he played out the hole with it, and was disqualified from both open and amateur, for it., as it was not his ball, nor one connected in any way with the event. L. T. Quin, spare and not- adapted to the wintry conditions, did an 87 in the morning, losing most of his strokes on the greens, but he steadied down to SI iv the afternoon. A. D. S. Duncan played well, doing a useful 78 in the morning, out in 37 and back in 41, and should have a good chance in the amateur. Ho played some great recoveries. At the eighth his tee shot was sliced, and the wind- took it into the macrocarpas 60 yards from the green, but it rebounded to the rough in bounds, and he put his second ou the gvecu and sank it. At the eleventh, after being down the bank with a hooked second with a straight-faced iron, he pitched up from the tiger country and got his 4. At the twelfth, also, his tee shot was hooked a trifle, and the wind carried it down the hill from the green, but he pitched up in wonderful style near the pin. He'found the bunker with his drive at the sixteenth, and failed to get out, but a fine approach and a firm putt gave him a 6. He was Bteady in the afternoon. G. F. Colbeck broke his niashie, and with it his score. Rana Wagg went out in 30 in (he morning, with a 6 in it, where .he topped his second, but took 41 back. In the afternoon he was not quite getting his tee shots, and slightly mishit his last three drives, taking a 6 at the eighteenth. J. L. Petley could not putt in the morning, and did an 83, but he came on his game in the afternoon, and did a 77. A. G. Sime was steady with 78 and 80. J. D. M'lntosh finished well in his morning 78. The tenth cost him 5, and the eleventh 6, but thence he was 344-W44. a pretty string. He knocked a stroke off his card in the afternoon. Si. M. Silk, the promising AVauganui youngster, was out in 37 in the morning (335554543). and back in 30 (453554544), a useful 76, which be repeated }n the afternoon. Is". Dell (Hamilton) was out in S7 with a G in it, and. iv in 41, 78 for the first round. ' The nearest to Shaw in the morning was D. C. Collins (Waivarapa), with a nice even card of 74, no big 'figures in it. He was 454455433,' 3S; 443444535, 3(3, the best amateur round of the day. He did a 78 in the afternoou, and stands well up. Morgan Duncan was in good form. Quite recently he did the first nine in 34, and in the first round turned in a 75, 344445555, 37; 434554634, 38. In the' afternoon, he was not quite •so good in direction from the tee, and took 79. - . J. C. Bidwill was 39 out, with a G in it at the longest hole on. the course, ■ and came back in the same figures, with a 6 at the 498: yard thirteenth, a neat 78. He fell off in the afternoon with an .88. B. V. Wright, another of the youngsters whp stood well up the list in the first round, was 444355633, 37 out, the 6 the result of finding' the bunker, and 444543554, 38 back, the' lucky 3 at the fifteenth (390 yards) being where his second hit the N pin and stopped handy. He did a 78 in the afternoon (445445535, 39; 443555544, 39). Ekstedt did a 78 in' the morning, but, though he knew the. course like a book, took 89 in the afternoon, a stroke worse on the day than Goss. ■ K. C. Ward, the promising. Avondale youngster, did a nice 77 in the aftercoon, and seems back on his game. Buist, the Hutt golfer who came back there the, other day in 35, turned in two nice 79's. Quito a good showing was made by Murray, the Dunedin professional. In the morning he did a 78, aud in the afternoon a 79, 41 out and back in 443644445. ' ' ' T. H. Horton was not quite on his game in the morning,. doing a 79, but came back-on. it in the afternoon with 75 (544345543, S3; 443544545, 37). E. S. Douglas was another1 who did not do himself full justice in the morning, when he took SO. but did a pretty 74 iv the afternoon (445365434, . 36; 544444344, 38). In ttiis round he missed live putts, and took three putts from within 12 feet on one green.. ■ i Watt did a good card in the morniugj but, though he was passable for tile first nine in the afternoon, crashed over the last few holes, and did a.90. Melvin did not return a card in the afternoon. THE AGGREGATES. The following are the .first and second round . aggregates:— A. J. Shaw (P.) 05—69—137 B. M. Kllk- '......... 76—76—152 r>. C. Collins 7-1—78—152 B. V. Wright 75—78—153 T. U. Horton ." 79—75—154 E. S. Douglas (P..) ....... 80—74—154 jr. Duncan 73—79—154 M'lMosh (P.) 75—77—155 J.'.Millard 50—76—156 F. Ruttcr (P.) 78—75—156 C. C. Clements (P.) 80—70—156 H.-It. Blair (.P.) 77—79—156 A. Murray (P.) • 78—79—157 X. Bell (P.) 77—80—157 A. I). S. Duncan 78—79—157 E. J. Moss (P.) ............. 50—77—157 L. Bulst 79—70—158 L. Seifcrt, junior 79—79—158 T. Galloway (P.) Sl—77—lsS A. G. Slme 78—80—158 J. lambic (P.) 80—78—158 li. Ware 77—81—158 J. L. lilacfc ;-.. 50—79—159 .1. It. Galloway (P.) 84—75—15!) It. C. Butters-(P.) 77—83—160 K. Boss 78—82—160 h. Catiiro ... 79—81—160 J. h. Petley ....:..... 83—77—160 F. 0. Fryer ; 79—81—160 W. K. Cook „ 82—79—161 V. Branch (P.) 82—79—161 H. A. Black SO—Bl—l6l N. Fuller (P.) 80—82—162 Ci. Ritchie (P.) 79—S3—1G2 J. P. Horriabrook ,80—82—162 A. E. Comvay Sl—Bl—l62 B. J. Smith, jim 82—SC—162 U. Pharazyn Sl—7B—lo2 J. A. Clements (P.) 82—81—163 I. JtacEwan 82—81—163 W. P». Wright • Sl—S2—l63 H. Wiggins 82—82—164 f,. .Richmond 81—83—164 H. Troutbeck .. 84—80—164 K. C. Ward 87—77—164, J. Goss 79—86—165 J. A, Harold 87—78—165 H. G. Davlcs ........ .... 56—78—165 J. C. Bidwill . 75—88—166 J. D. G. Duncan 86—80—'166! H. H. Hulchlnson "9—87—166 W. T. Kuru 87—80—167 A. E. Ekstedt 78—89—167] H. s?lyth 83—85—16S i W. G. Clark 89—79—168 L. Itoss (P.) Si—B4—l6S L. T. C>uln ; 87—81—16S C H. Stcnhehsoh 83—84—169' j. Watt (P.) 90—79—169 P. .W. Hugglns ■ 54—85—169 W. O'Callaghan ......_. 54—85—169 W. A. Keeling ........... 86—84—170 \V. T. D. Harman 56—86—172 J. P. Mortland - ...; 55—87—172 R. T. Tosswlll 84—88—172 E. A. Reed 56—87—173 G. F. Colbeck .'. 85—88—173 C. R. tTpham 84—89—US W. A. Robertson 89—85—174 E. S. Toogpod 55—91—170 J. I). Lawrence 53—91—176 E. li. Abbott ............ 91—85—176 C. K. Jarobsen ............i... 90—87—177 A. A. Stewart 80—92—178 11. E.. Buckley 84—95—179 >-. Q,,i» .'... 90—90—180 It. O. Gardner 93—87—180 G. P. Roberts 93-87—180 J. M. Hiissey 01 —SO— ISO O. Andersen 03—SS—181 A .1. Quin !is—B6—lS 1 A. Sandell, Dl—9l—lß2 J. G. Dick .' 94—01—183 J. It. 1.. Mackay 94—05—190 P. indicates professional.