GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 19063, 5 October 1925, Page 4

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

THE AMATEUR EVENT NORTON'S EASY WIN [Special to the ‘ Stati. ’ ] CHRISTCHURCH, October 3. The New Zealand golf championship meeting concluded at Shirley Links today, when A. D. 8. 'Duncan, of Wellington, and T. H. Horton, ot Masterton, fought out the final ot the amateur championship. No more disappointing match has ever been played at Shirley than this proved to be, Horton accounting for bis doughty opponent without difficulty. Before the match commenced the general opinion among golfers was that the winner of nine New Zealand championships would add that of 1925 to his list, after a bard fight with Horton, but the latter went to the fore at the first hole, was 5 np at the turn, and finished the morning round ten holes to the good. Duncan was then in a hopeless position, but like the gallant fighter he is he never lost heart, even although ho started the afternoon round with the loss of the nineteenth hole. He then pulled himself together, and was able to win three holes to Horton’s one, and halve the fifth. His effort came too late, however, and Horton gained, a well-de-served victory, being carried shoulder hip-li to the pavilion, outside tvlikmi he was shot at by a battery of carneias. The dav was an ideal one for golf, being bright and sunny, with a light nor’-wester blowing. In the moinihg there was a large ationdance to witness the last round of the big match hut many late-comors were disappointed as play stopped at 2.15 p.m., about an hour earlier than was expected. Not allowing for the wind, both Hor■ton and Duncan were through the green with their tee shots, Duncan getting a poor lie. Horton, obtaining a better approach, holed out in 3 to Duncan’s 1. Horton I np. Duncan’s was the bettor di.no at (lie next, but playing a. bad second he gave Horton the advantage. Horton found the long grass in the hunker with his third. Bntli were on the green with their fourth, and the hole was haired in 6. Horton 1 up. Horton and Duncan got good drives at Te Ornnga, Duncan being just off the fairway. Both found the green with their seconds, and took two putts to halve in <t’s. Horton 1 up. , At the Narrows Horton pulled his ton shot and struck a tree, on the left and after five minutes had been spent in looking for the hall the lefeieo declared it out of hounds. ’ Duncan got n had drive, just crawiiim through the sand and Retting an indifferent' lie. which prevented mm from getting far with his second. He missed a chance of gaining the advantage hv approaching badly.. Horton s second’shot was a good drive, and ho was on the edge of the green with his third, the hole being halved in u s. fins was a luckv hole for Horton. Dnnran dribbled badly off the tee at the fifth, and his second was no better. Duncan’s fourth was close to the pin. Horton, who was on the. green in Ihroe, played a 12ft .mitt, which lay deed and Duncan missing a short p U *ilo-t the hole—s-6. Horton was 110 \1 'll' I ,both drives found the rout'll ou (lie left. Duncan, was on the preen in 2. dose to t:"' pin, Horton s second being in 1 he rnn„ , to the right. His tliicd hit He pin and bounced hack to lie drad. Duncan missed Ins mitt and the hole was halved m Ls. Dorton 2 np. . . At the seventh Duncan s drive tumid the hunker short of the green, Ins second iust reaching the edge of the green. His approach pnlt slopped lit from the hole. Horton’s drive was on the eduo of the green. After narrowly missing the hunker he played, a good approach and took the hole in 3 Duncan’s 4. Horton 3 up. , At Land’s End Duncan s drive found the hunker, and it took him 4 to reach the green. Horton .], laved a heanuln) riin-np shot for his third. Dune,in missed a «ffc putt. Horton lipped Die hole, which ho took in 5, Duncan taking 6. Horton 4 np. Both drove well at farthest North, Duncan, with his second, finding the hunker on the loft. Horton took Ihe hole in 4 to Dnnean’s. 5. and at the turn was 5 np. At this point Horton was playing very well, and was lull ot confidence. ’ while Duncan was all at sea, and played like a handicap man. Both got away well from Die tee. Duncan’s’ second was well np on the green, hut he missed his putt, and Horton, who had played his second to the side of the green, halved the hole in 4 ’ Driving from the eleventh tee, Horton’s hall found the rough where tno ground was under repair. The retereo allowed him the privilege of dropping another, which went nicely to tin green. Duncan’s third war. on the green. He failed to halve with fits fourth, and Horton went down to win, 4-5. Duncan out drove ITorion at, tho twelfth, but Horton played a good second. Both were on the green in 2. After making a nice approach shot, Duncan missed an easy shot, and Horton went clown to win, 4-5. Horton 7 UP At the thirteenth both wore on the green with their drives, and made nice approach putts to the pin. Duncan once more missed an easy putt, and Horton sank to win, 3-4. Horton 8 up. Coming to the fourteenth green both made nice drives. Horton played his second too hard, and Duncan also ran through. Both approached well, and this time Duncan went down to halve the hole in 1.

At the fifteen Hi Horton got away well, but Duncan found the bunker with his drive. He made a good recovery, and his approach third was one of his best shots of the round. _ Horton’s second took him to the side of the green, and his third wont nicely to the pin. Duncan missed his putt, and Horton went down to win, 4-5. At the sixteenth Duncan won his first hole. They were both on in 2. Duncan took a putt, and he got near the pin to be sure of a half. Horton played wide to avoid the possibility of a stymie, but he overran the hole and took 6 to Duncan’s 4. This was Horton’s first mistake, for which he made amends by laying his next tee shot dead for 2. At the eighteenth Duncan got into the ditch with his second, spoiling any chance of halving with Horton, who went down with a safe 4. Horton 10 up. Horton went round in 73, and was ns steady as a rock, while Duncan was obviously off his game, so much as to suggest that ho was not well. Horton continued his forceful game of the morning, and immediately added another hole to his already big advantage. Playing an uphill game, Duncan began to show some of Iris old form, but it was too late, and at the twentyeighth green the gam© ended with Horton 9 up and 8 to play. At the nineteenth hole Duncan made a weak approach, and Horton took the hole with a good 3. The wind, which had prevoinsly been nor’-weste.rly, now changed to a light southerly, favoring drives. Duncan reached the edge of the creek, and from there played the best shot he had made. Horton continued playing steady golf, and halved the hole in 5. Horton pulled his drive to the loft, but be played a beautiful iroiy shot, and was on the green, equal with Duncan, in 2, and halved in 4. At the twenty-second both found thorough on the right. Duncan got well out, whereas Horton fluffed. Duncan wont on, and won. 4-5. At the twenty-third Horton drove a beautiful straight ball within an easv masliio of the green, holing a 20ft .putt, Boston wm the hole* §4*

From the twentyfourth tee Duncan drove in something like his old form, but Horton was equally good. Both approached well, and halved in 4. After the tee shots the ball lay side by side at the edge of the green, and the hole was halved in a sound 3. Horton was now domy. At Land’s End both got away with excellent drives. Duncan placed a brassie on to the green. Horton had a downhill grassy lie for his second, hut he played a beautiful iron shot. Unfortunately reaching the. bunker on the left, lie overran the green in 3, while Dnncan lay dead in 4. Horton picked up and gave Duncan the hole. At the twenty-seventh Horton found three hunkers, his fourth reaching the freon. Duncan played a bad second, ut was on in 3, and won the hole in 5. Horton, dormy 9. The twenty-eighth hole saw the end of the match. Duncan was just short with his brassie. Horton played a beautiful iron shot, and was alongside Dnncan. They halved in 4, leaving Horton 9 up and 8 to play. HORTON’S RECORD. The neiv champion was born at Blenheim thirty years ago, and started to play golf when quite young. The only coaching he has ever had has been by G. W. Martin, who was the professional to the Blenheim Chib, and who recently joined the Masterton Club, giving Horton an opportunity of having his earlier lessons repeated. The first championship ever won by Horton was the club championship of Blenheim before the war. Ho did not play again until after the war was over, and on resuming the game was runner-up in Wellington pro'vmcinl championship in 1921. The same year at Shirley he was runner-up in the'New Zealand amateur championship, and fourth in the open championship-. In 1924 he won the Wellington provincial championship from A. D. S. Duncan, whom he heat handsomely, doing the round in 71. Last year he gained further success at the South Auckland championship, _ hut failed badly at Middlemore, being knocked out m the second round. At the present meeting ho finished fourth in the open championship, a«nd qualified second for the amateur championship. Ho would probably have come home first had ho not found a hunker at the ninth hole, which took him 7. Mr M. H. Godhy acted ns referee. At the conclusion of the tournament Mr R. E. M'Dongall, president of tho Golf Club, congratulated the" winners' on their success. The prizes won w'ere presented by Mrs A. D. Duncan in the absence of Mrs M'Dongall.