WORTHY OPPONENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 96, 20 October 1933, Page 7

WORTHY OPPONENTS

(By "Chip-Shot.")

Miss Kay first. came into prominence in the Auckland Province as a-girl, and she owes her golf to her father, a professional at that time resident at Why ngarei. She made her tournament debut at Hamilton in'l924, when she reached the semi-finals. She was then only 15, and created quite a stir in the New Zealand golf world as she was hitting her tee shots and picking up her brassies, sending them along to the greens like a man. She went on to perfect her game in the years that have followed. Mr. Kay left Wanganui for Dunediu soon after nis daughter came into prominence, and since then Miss Kay has been resident there. She has taken part iii many provincial tournaments in addition to the New Zealand meeting, and Jfev have been the occasions when she'has failed to leave her mark, notably in her ability to produce medal scores. Occasionally she has failed in match events, but nevertheless she is a fine match' player. At the tournament just concluded she won the Mellsop Cup (aggregate of three medal rounds) for the eighth, successive year: She has been twice to .Australia. On the first occasion she made a very good showing but did not reach the top, but mad» ample amends last month when, as ona of the New Zealand team this year, she won the Australian women's title; beating Miss Joan Hammond in the final by the big margin of 9 and 8. Miss Kay is handicapped plus 2. There were doubts In Australia if a New Zealander could carry a,handicap so low, but they were dispelled immediately. Not only did she qualify at the top of the list, but her aggregate for the two rounds, 157 (82 and 75), was no less than 10 strokes better* than Miss Susie Tolhurst, who, was nextJ Miss Kay followed up this performanue by partnering the brilliant young Sydney, player Jim Ferrier to win the Australian mixed foursomes championship. One of their rounds (74) was a record for the event, and their gross for the. two rounds (157) was 9 strokes better than W. Hope and Miss Gaisford, who came next, and 10 better than the two Australian* Ivo Whitton and Miss Susie .Tolhurst. who were third. It was remarked of Miss Kay at the time that the only fault in her. game was a typical New Zealand weak-, ness in emerging from the sandpits, a., weaitness, be it noted, that has been mentioned in connection with New Zealand s best men amateurs when playing m the Kirk-Windeyer, matches .on tte other' SlTlie quality .of Miss Gaisford's golfl was revealed at Heretaunga when she, participated in the 1930 New Zealand; tournament and went through to contest; the final with Miss Kay, who beat her, 3,and 2. It was noted then that Misa Gaisford had a style that must carry neiv far and that New Zealand had produced another of a string of very fine players., She has been no disappointment, iue following year she annexed the championship, and has taken a brilliant place in a large number o£ the provincial meetings. . .... , In Australia this year Miss Gaisf°vd qualified in a tie for fourth place with 108, and followed this up by being in the second pair of the Australian mixed foursomes championship. She created still, more of a stir by outing Miss Susie Tolhurst in the first round of the cham-i pionship matches, but got no further,' Miss B. Perry, of Tasmania, beating her in the second round, 1 up. i Playing in the Manawatu tourney a« the beginning of this month Miss Gais'ford tied with Miss Kay at the head of. the qualifying list. Their rounds were 81. and 83 Miss Gaisford. and 85 and 79 Miss Kay, a gross 164, which was 8 strokes better than the next. The pair went through to fight out the fiual, which reI suited in favour of Miss Kay, .2 and 1.