SOUTH ISLAND TOURNEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 72, 26 March 1940, Page 14

SOUTH ISLAND TOURNEY

(By Telegraph —Press Association.)

DUXEDIN, March 25

Perfect weather, i splendid course conditions, and top class golf characterised the quarterfinals and semi-flnals of the South Island and Otago provincial championship tournament at Balmacewan yesterday.

The defender of the South Island title, B. V. Wright (Roxburgh) readied the final again by beating the brilliant young P. J. Oil] (Otago Club), 3 and 2, and F. W. Dixon (St. Clair), 2 and 1. Dixon had beaten Dr. K. Ross (Otago) 3 and 2 in the quarter-llnal and started the semi-final by losing three of (he first four holes to Wright. Then he staged a great recovery and won three consecutive holes with, birdies, to be sauare after the seventh. He Won the

ninth'and" turned 1 up. Wright squared the match. at the thirteenth and Dixon's mistakes enabled Wright's consistent accuracy to earn its jreward.. Wright completed the round. .in 69, and: Dixon in 72 . T. B. Ferguson (Otago) eliminated' J. >?'; Lemon (Otago), 3 and 2, and went oh to avenge his defeat in last year's Otago final by the youthful T. W. Wight (Otago). The' latter beat S..H. McKechnie (St. Clair), 2 and 1, b,ut_jvas outgeneralled by Ferguson, who kept behind' him off the tee, approached brilliantly, and" had Wight straining to be inside; him.-Jfer-gusbn went' well over the second half sand finished, the round in 70 to Wight's 72. -^ ? Th"c Ota£o plate finalists are 3. A. Scouler (Otago) and W. W. Clayton (St. Clair).. ;:,w.