THE SEMI-FINALS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1935, Page 11

THE SEMI-FINALS

EXCITING PLAY

Light rains .considerably improved the course at Heretaunga today for the semi-finals of the Wellington Provincial Golf Championship. The golf was of an exciting order.

Watson from 2 down fought that wily golf general, J. L. Black, until he had squared the game at the 13th and finally won at the 19th by holing his chip. Hornabrook had rather the better of • his game with Silk all through, but the ngures were rather arresting, Hornabrook needing only two 4's for a 69 when the game finished. Following are the results: — SEMI-FINALS. J. P. Hornabrook beat B. M. Silk, 4 and 2. S. M. Watson beat J. L. Black at the 19th. NOTES ON PLAY. Black won the first two holes in 4'Sj the third was halved in 4's, Watson won the fourth in 4, but put his tee shot down the bank at the fifth, and, failing to emerge from the willows to the green, conceded the hole to Black, who was lying well. Watson misstat his drive at the sixth, but was on the green in 3, and Black's approach putt from the top of the bank at the back leaving him a six-footer which he missed, Watson halved the hole in 5 Watson duffed his second to the green at the seventh, but Black was through the green with his second and short enough with his approach to miss his 4, and a half in 5 was carded (Black 2 up). The eighth was spectacular. Watson put his second in the bunker on the right but played a beautiful niblick to the green 60 yards away and sank an eighteen-footer for a 4, Black naturally missing his twelve-footer. for a halt. Watson approached short at the ninth, and Black took the hole in 3. Turning 2 down, the ex-Cambridge player then commenced to show his mettle/ The tenth was halved in 4s. Watson's second at the eleventh, lay on the extreme left-hand side of tne green on top of the bank. Blacks second was only 6 feet from the pin. Watson sank a curly 35-footer which crossed a ridge twice, and a half in 3 was carded. Watson approached short at the 12th and Black, who had found the bunker with his second, len himself with a 5-footer for his fourth shot. Black missed the putt, and Watson took the hole in 5 to- 6 and was only 1 down. From w indifferent l<e under the trees, at the 13th Black was short with his second, watson -hooked his second short of the green. Black's third found the bunker on the right and his shot out left him with a 10-footer for a 5, Watson squaring the game by taking the hole in 5 to 6 Watson ran over the bank at the 14th, and Black took the hole in 3 to 4, standing 1 up again. Winning the 15th in. .3, Black was 2 up and 3 to-go. When Watson sank an 8-foot putt for a 3 at the 16th, with Black lying less than four feet away m two shots, }t looked like a half in 3 but Black missed his putt Black found the bunker on tbe left at the 17th wUh his second, while. Watson's- second lay outside the bunker on the right. Black's third was only 5 feet from thevcup, while Watson left himself a 12-footer. Both missed putts and halved in 5. Black hooked his drive at the 18th while Watson pushed his out badly. Black found , the, Junker on the left and Watson over, ran into rough at the back of. the green. From a wretched stance with one foot in the bunker, Black recovered to withinrio feet of the,hole Watson-played a wonderful shot to within 18 inches of the cup, and^took thY hole in 4 to 5, squaring the game, aid toeVwenton.\watson half topped and hooked his drive at thei 19th, but was through the green .with his second. Black was also on in 2, on .the right-hand edge of the green. _Wat on. then holed.his chip for a 3. Nothing daunted, Black went very hard, and a perfectly-stroked putt hung on the Up! wobbled, and stayed there Watson winning the match amidst enthusiaSHornabrook won the first in 4 to 5. Silk missed a yard putt the .second, which was halved in 5. The third was halved in 3's, Hornabrook won the Sth in 4 and the fifth was halvej in 3's. Hornabrook won the sixth m 4 and was 3 up. Silk holed a 15-footer for a 3 at the seventh, and Hornabrook was only 2 up. Silk was bunkered at the eighth and Hornabrook took the hole in 5 to 6. Silk was dead with Ws approach putt atthe ninth, and won the hole in 3to 4. The tenth and eleventh were halved in 4s. Silk was short with his second at the_ twelfth and Hornabrook pin-high to the right, lilk was 4ft from the pin and he holed his putt for 4, Hornabrook holing a 3footer for a half. Silk was nicely^on the thirteenth green with his iron shot while Hornabrook was short with.nis ™i, but Hornabrook chipped nicely up and halved in 4. Hornabrook won the fourteenth in 3 to 4 and was 31 up again -The fifteenth was halved in 3, both approaching dead Hornabrook holed a 4-footer for a 3 at the sixteenth, winning 4 and 2. v HERETAUNGA HANDICAP. Semi-finals. J. P. Mortland beat W. J. Davidge, 2 MdK.'Moore beat D. G. Webster, 1 Portland was shaping for a 69 and finished with a 71. ,