GOLF TOURNEY

Evening Star, Issue 19999, 17 October 1928, Page 9

GOLF TOURNEY

II CHIP lOSIFS PROFESSIONAL SEMIFINALS THIRD ROUND OF AMATEUR C. 8. WIGHT’S SENSATIONAL ROUND Match play in both the professional and amateur championships at the New Zealand golf tournament on the Balmacowen Links to-day is being decided over thirty-six boles, the first eighteen of which were played this morning. . , The semi-finals of tho professional championship wore commenced, and the third round of play in the amateur championship. Conditions were good, though light showers of rain fell during the progress of the matches. There was an absence of wind, and the greens and fairways were both in really good order. The greens were cut yesterday, and are now not nearly so keen as tiiev were earlier in tho tournament. Tho first half of the third round o tho amateur championship provided cause for much comment, C. B. Wight finishing 9 up on J. L. Black, of \Vclimate n, and returning the remarkably brilliant score of 67, which 18 an unofficial record for the course. Dr Ro»s confounded the critics by ending, the morning play 10 up on A. G. bnne, who was expected to thoroughly extend tho Otago man. Ross did a brilliant ,L AMATEUR FLAT. The sensation of tho morning was the game supplied by C. B. W Viii i Clair) in his match against J. L. BlacK fOtorohanga), the latter doing a ib, onlv to finish the round 9 down. Vigbt clayed what is probably the best round ever done on tho course, doing a bl, though this can not bo accepted, as a official record as it was not registeicd in stroke play competition. Wights actual figures were; — Out: 4,4, 3,2, 4,3, 4,8, 4-3 L In; 3,6, 4,4, 3,4, 4,3, 5-36. The only hole at which he took more than tho par figure was Wight, of course, was playing ma D fluently, his short, game being one of the features of his round. His score was nearly a 66 ( his iputt for a 4 a. tho last green just missing tho hole. Black was playing good go.il, as usual, but was powerless in the lace ot such brilliant opposition. ~ S. C. Colbcck (Otago) and J. D. G. Duncrfn (Wellington) had a close mnrniim round, never more than two holes separating the players. Duncan parlv established a- lead of w up ? but Collieck squared the match at the turn, each doing the half m 38. Duncan attain got one up a good 4 at the thirteenth,* but Coibeck won the next, ami after the ..seventeenth was two up, Duncan whining the last hole with a good 4, to finish the morning round 1 down, Coibeck just missing his putt at this hole. T. H, Horton (Masterton) was playing too steadily for H. A. Black (Miramar), doing the first half in 3i, to finish 2 up, despite the fact that he missed an easy putt at the. seventh. Coming home, Horton continued to inlav well to complete his round in 71,"leading Black by 4 up at tho completion of the morning’s play. Black was ploying well, but not quite well enough. . . It was surprising to find A. G. pun.® (Westport) playing such poor golf this mornhm, as he was expected to give K. Ross (Otago) a hard fight. Snnc was completely off his game at the start, losing the first seven liolcs against Ross, and being 0 down at the tenth. From there on lie stuck .closely to his formidable opponent, but was unable to reduce tho deficiency against him, Ross finishing 10 up at tho end of the morning round. .The. latter did the eighteen holes in a fine 71. THE PROFESSIONALS.

A. J. Shaw (Napier) v. E. S. Douglas (Maungakickic) .-—Shaw got away two beautiful drives at the first, Douglas’s second being in the rough. Shaw was short, and Douglas made a short approach, Shaw being too strong with his next, with the result that a half in 5 resulted. Both got away lovely balls at tho second, Douglas being much too strong with his approach, which went through the green into hazard. Shaw played a good second well on, but a poor third, a hall in 5 resulting. Shaw pushed well out to the right at Goodwin’s, Douglas being short. Both made fine approaches, and both missed putts, a half in 4 ensuing. The short fourth saw Shaw reach the leit bunker short of tho green, Douglas being rn the green Shaw played well out, but short Douglas was short with an approach putt, Shaw ringing the hole, which Douglas won in 3. Superb driving was witnessed at the terrace, both played beautiful seconds pin high to tho right, the hole being halved in veil played 4’s. Shaw again pushed well out to the right at Ihe sixth, Douglas making a magnificent drive. Shaw played a fine approach over a corner of the green, Douglas’s approach being well played for a half in 4. Two more long balls were played at the seventh, Shaw again being well to the light. Both wore on the green . with their seconds. Shaw being top strong with his approach putt and missed the return, Douglas winning in a fine -■>, which made him 2 ujv. Two good drives resulted at the Monastery, the players lying within 3ft of each other. Shaw leached tho green with jus second, , Douglas being short, but his third was within 3ft of tho hole. Shaw a fine approach putt lor a half in 4 s. Shaw won the Glen in 4 to 5, leaving Douglas 1 up. At this hole Douglas putted for 3 for a 35 for the outward half, missed the return, and took 3i for tho half, Shaw winning tho hole in 4. Shaw won the tenth in a good 3 to 4, squaring tho match. The 'ong hole was well played for a halt in 5. Tho tewelfth Douglas won in A to o, making him 1 up again. Tho thirteenth . was halved in u’s, both getting away long drives and playing very good soc- ' puds. Douglas was short with ois third. Shaw's being strong. Both justmissed the putts, and the hole was halved. Douglas socketed his iron shot badly at Hoy’s, and had a poor second, Shaw winning in 4 to 5. Shaw took Spion Kop in 1 to 5, the sixteenth was halved in 4, the seventeenth was another half in splendid 3’s, both drives being on the green. Shaw won the eighteenth in 5 to 6, laying DougI las a half stymie, which proved too j much for the iatten. Shaw was 2 up |at tho end of the morning round, the long gam© of both men loft little to be desired, their driving being a feature of the match. Douglas’s putting was weak, and for that matter both were I nt fault in this respect, several of the greens taking three putts. At the end of the morning eighteen holes J. D. MTntosh (Gisborne) was 30 up against J. A. Clements (Hagley). Both had 'good drives at the first. Clements played a fine second on the edge of tho green. MTntosh was well ■ on. the hole being halved in 4 . The i second was marked by two good drives, ! and Clements made a great approach, i MTntosh went right through the green, i and was far too strong back, Clements l winning in a birdie 3. Clements drove .well at tki third, MTntosh’s being right on the green. Clements approached well, hut just missed his putt. MTntosh nlayed a fine approach putt, and won in 3, making the match all square. Both reached tho green witn their firsts at tho short fourth. Clements missed the putt, and MTntosh won 3 to 4, making him 1 up. Both

had fair drives to the fifth, which was halved in s’s. MTntosh hit a long ball at tho Ridge. Clements was too nigh, and his approach was also high off the green. MTntosh was just on the green with his approach. Clements missed his putt, and the Gisborne man won in 4 to 5. The seventh was halved in 4. Clements won the eighth, and the Glen was halved. The tenth was halved in 4. and at the long hole both got good drives away. MTntosh’s second was into the dry ditch not far from the green. Clements played short with his third, which failed to reach the green. MTntosh was well on. Clements played down and half-stymied him. MTntosh played a ball that ran completely round the hole, so completely stymeing Clements that he had no chance of getting down, iVI In tosh taking the hole. The twelfth was a well played hole for par 4’s, and both had beautiful drives at Manuka. MTntosh was well on the green with his second, and he won the hole in 4 to 5. He took tho nest in 4, but missed a short putt for a half at the fifteenth, Clements winning in 4. At the sixteenth MTntosh found the road with his second. He chipped down, and just failed with his putt, Clements winning in 4. The next was halved in 4’s, and MTntosh won the eighteenth in 4 to 5, making him 3 up at the eighteenth. MTntosh held the upper hand for the greater part of the journey, and holed some good putts. Clements’s putting was weak, and his approach putting was a bit wild.

PROFESSIONALS’ HANDICAP, A professionals’ handicap, decided by stroke play over thirty-six holes, was commenced this morning, the net scores for the first eighteen holes being:R. C. Butters (Miramar) 76 Lindsay Ross (Nelson) 77 F. Branch (Hamilton) 77 O. B. Forrest (TimanD 78 G. W. Ritchie (New Plymouth) ... 79 B. J. Smith (Akarann) 79 T. Ca’loway (Auckland) .. 79 G. W. Melvin (WTliimton) 79 ,T. Lambi'e (N.Z. Golf Association) 79 H. R. Blair (Christchurch) 81 H. MncDougall (Oueen’s Park) ... 81 W. W. Kay (St Clair) ... 82 J. W. Ross (Wanganui) 82 J. Forrest (Otago) ... 82 R. Fox (Avondale) ... 82