GOLF TOURNAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 15072, 2 January 1913, Page 7

GOLF TOURNAMENT.

OTAGO CHAMPIONSHIP. The northerly wind freshened considerably on Tuesday afternoon, and with very few exceptions the players required more strokes to do the round than they had taken over the morning round. These- two rounds decided who should qualify for the match pky in the championship, and in the afternoon considerable interest was taken in the doings of some of tho scratch men, who had done comparatively poor rounds in the morning, to see what sort of recovery they would'make. Both B. J. •and H. C. Smith retrieved position, the former most emphatically so, as he went round m 14 fewer strokes, and came in with a card of 80, eaeilv the best of the afternoon. It read: 4. 4', 4. 4, 5, 4, 5, 3;6 —out 39; 4, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 5, 4—in 41. He had a.t length struck form, and the following day's play proved that there was permanence in tho improvement. Not onlv did he steer clear of trouble on Tuesday afternoon, but his putting was consistently reliable. H. C. Smith was nearest to him with 85, and the next best score was 86, put n p by Dr Ross and J. R. Park, the latter of whom easily led on the day's aggregates. The only visiting players to qualify were A. L. Marshall, of Timaru, and R. R. Grigor, of Balclutha. Twoyoung members of the Otago Golf Club, in T. (.4. Young and C. R. Sargood, got among the 16 who qualified. They were as follows :

vsaigoou 9o 91 Following these came A. Todd (95, 92 18'/), H. A. Salmon (94, 95—189), H Dodgshun (95, 94—189), H. Do C. M‘Arthur (95, 94—189), H. D. Stronach (92, 99 —191), R. Barren (90, 101—191), J. H. Gale (95, 97—192), A. Gilrav (101, 91— 182), and J. Fotheringham (93, 100—193). Ihe 16 were reduced to four by two rounds of match play yesterday. Unfortunately Dr Ross was unable, to take part, and this, following on the disappointment caused by B. B. Wood’s non-appearance, robbed the ©vent of a portion of the interest it at fust promised. There was something of a surprise also in the first match, which resulted in J. R. Park being put out. His form, so consistently good throughout, did not desert him. That he was playing excellent golf is attested by his total of 82 for the round ; but this was not good enough. Park met Ernest Smith in one of the latter s most brilliant moods, and was beaten 4 up and 2 to play, Smith doing the round in"79. It was hard luck for Park (especially ns he went one better than this_ in the Bogey Handicap after hmch, finishing 4 up with a fine round of 78), hut the best player need not have been ashamed of defeat from Smith as ho was then playing. Both Basil and Hamilton Smith had fairly easy wins in their morning games. “8.J.” was particularly deadly on the greens—which was the reverse with his opponent, A. H. Fisher—and some very fine golf was seen in this match. Smith’s meet sensational hole was the Punch Bowl, where he got a. 2, rather a curiosity for a 220 yds hole. His second, a machio shot, found the tin. The two Youngs had a hard-fought game, which went hole before the older player won. Another case of a colt extending a, veteran was seen in the match between C. Turnbull and 0. R. Sargood, who were all square at the 17th hole. The other two matches wore well contested.

In the second round yesterday Ernest Smith, failed to maintain his rooming's form, Timaru. Turnbull nnd Du Croz had rather a peculiar match. Turnbull secured a commanding lead, being dormv 5 at Anderston's. Then Du Croz tmik three successive holes—Swamp. Bishopscourt. and Gorge—and Turnbull was doimy 2. Du Croz could not maintain his sequence of wins further, the. 17th being halved, leaving Turnbull winner bv 2 up and 1 to play. Hamilton Smith "and G. H. MacEwan had a very close game. MacEwan seems to be regaining his form of some years ago, and ultimatelr proved too good tor Smith, who has played but little golf lately owing to the counter-attraction of motor-boating. Going to the 17th, he was 1 down, but MacEwan improved the advantage he got from a beautifully accurated wooden-club tee shot from the tee as against Smiths partly sliced iron, and won this somewhat, taxing hole, and the match 2 and 1. Basil Smith, plaving -n-jth wonderful steadiness—as a. match player he shows to even greater advantage, than in medal play—took the lead in his game with \V. H. Young, and was 3 up at the 11th. He increased it at the next hole (Koromilco),_ where Young made a great effort to halve in 4. Smith played the hole without a mistake, but Young's second was altogether too short an approach, and necessitated a, difficult third out of the scruh. loung got out, all right, but over-ran the green into the rough beyond, and a little pitch with his fourth just missed the hole. Tnat was his last chance. Smith taking the nest two and winning by 6 and 4. Scores : —First Round.— A. L. Marshall won from Dr Ross bv default. Ernest Smith beat J. R. Park, 4 and 2F. J. Du Croz beat W. C. MacGre^or, 2 and 1. 0. Turnbull beat C. R. Sargood, 1 up. G. H. MacEwan beat R. R. Gricor 3 and 2. b ' H. C. Smith beat H. Brasch, 6 and 5. B. J. Smith beat A. H. Fisher, 4 and 3. W. H. Young beat T. G. Young at the 19th. —Second Round.— Marshall beat E. Smith, 5 and 1. Turnbull beat Du Croz, 2 and 1. MacEwan beat H. C. Smith, 2 and 1. B. J. Smith beat W. H. Young, 6 and 4. HANDICAP EVENTS. The Medal Handicap on Tuesday afternoon was won by A. Gilray, and' in the Medal Handicap yesterday C. A. S&v.nour (Timaru) and C. W. Birch tied for first place, J.Forbes (formerly of St, Clair, now of Timaru; being close behind. This wns s'orbes's first game in the tournament, and he did well again in the afternoon round sga:nst bogey, which event was won Iv Park off scratch with the fine recorl of 4 up as the result of a7B round. The following were the best cards handed in for the various handicap events-. MEDAL HANDICAP (Tuesday Afternoon). Gross. Hep. Net. A. Gilray 91 14 _77 B. J. Smith 80 80 C. R. Sargood 91 10 —Bl T. G. Young 91 8 H. Brasch 88 4 84 H. C. Smith '... 85 -85 R. R, Grigor ... 95 , B—Bs MEDAL HANDICAP (Wednesday Morning). Grose. Hep. Net, G. A. Seymour ... ;.. ... 81 2 —79 C. W. Birch 95 14— ■79' J. Forbes ... ... 85 -I—B2 A. Todd 88 6 C. J. Ronaldson ... ... 96 12 —B4 •I. R. Montgomery 102 18 —B4 0. J. Wilson 94 .9 —BS BOGEY HANDICAP (Wednesday Afternoon). Hep. Score. J. R Park C. R. Saigood 8 3 up J. R Smyth 14 3 rip C. W. Birch 11 2 up W. D. M'Ca,rthy ... 6 lup A. Chapman 4 1 up William Smith 11 All square J. Forbes 1 2 down G. L. Cuthbertson ... 3 2 down C. J. &010 a... «* ** 4 2 down

5 In’ .'z 3 £ 5 ■ p J. K. B- Park Ross . 79 . 84 rr. £4 86 — 86 — 165 170 A. H. Fisher . 85 ■ 90 — 173 B. J- Smith . 94 SO — 174 H. Brasch . 86 88 — 174 W H. Young . 86 89 — 175 G. H. MnclAvan ... . .. 87 90 — 177 H. C. Smith . 95 85 — 178 iiinest. Smith ... ... . . 86 95 — 179 C. Turnbull . 86 93 — 179 A. L. Marshall ... . . 86 94 — 180 F. J. Du Croz ... .. 86 94 180 W 0. MacGregor ... . .. 86 95 — 181 T. G. Young . 91 91 — 182 R B. Grigor .. 93 95 — 186 1 Qf. C, R. Sarcnoil ... 0^ 01