DISAPPOINTING GOLF

Evening Star, Issue 21689, 7 April 1934, Page 8

DISAPPOINTING GOLF

KIRK-WINDEYER CUP CONTEST EACH SIDE WINS A MATCH [Pee United Press Association.! AUCKLAND, April 6. With on© success to each of the New Zealand and New South AVales teams, honours were even at the end of the first day’s play in the contest for the Kirk-Windeyer Cup. T. H. Horton and B. V. Wright (New Zealand) beat W. R. Dobson and P. F. Hughes (New South Wales) 1 up. C. C. Ruwald and H. M. Cutler (New South Wales) beat B. M. Silk and J. P. Hornabrook (New Zealand) 2 up. The weather was beautifully fine and warm, and there was a large attendance of the public, more particularly in the afternoon. A majority of the spectators followed the' No. 1 match in the morning, but the gallery was more evenly divided after lunch. E. L. Apperly, the New South Wales captain, stood down, but he will participate in the singles to-morrow. The course was a little faster than it had been when the players practised upon it earlier in the week, and all eight failed at times to gauge the changed conditions. Almost without exception the standard of play was disappointing. This is revealed by the figures, as the average of the round was about 80, or seven strokes worse than the scratch score for the course. The chief weakness of the New Zealand teams was their putting and the lack of confidence which the pairs appeared to have _ in each other. Both Horton and Wright putted lamentably at times, for which little excuse could be found seeing that the greens were in such perfect condition.

Silk and Hornabrook were not a happy combination, playing throughout with, little cohesion. Both made far too many mistakes at critical times for participants in a test match. This was particulax-ly the case at the fifteenth hole in the afternoon, when Silk displayed, very bad judgment, and it can truly be said that the result of the match hinged on the playing of this hole. Wright drove well throughout, but he was indecisive on the greens. Horton was not up to his usual standard, developing a dangerous hook with his tee shots which at times gave his partner a difficult line to the hole. Dobson quite unaccountably failed in his greatest strength, high shots to the green, cutting them into waiting bunkers on four or five occasions. Hughes was very shaky at the start, and it was only towards the end of the first round and later in the afternoon that he really settled down to give a glimpse of his capabilities. Silk’s long game was most unreliable, many of his drives and second shots being badly hit, but he made amends several times by sinkink useful putts, one at the thirteenth of fully 30ft being a brilliant effort. Hornabrook drove fairly well and made some good recoveries from bad shots by his partner, but he was weak on the greens. The quality of the golf played by both Ruwald and Cutler scarcely deserved the result obtained. Too many drives were xmlled and hazards were encountered much too frequently, but fortunately for the pair their opponents were unable to take advantage of these mistakes. The finishing effort of the Australians cannot be overlooked, however, as they won two of the last three holes and halved the final one. The fact that each side has won one match with the visitors leading by the narrow margin of one hole lends greater interest to the singles matches which will be decided to-morrow. Judging by the attendance to-day there is every likelihood of a record crowd for a golf match in Auckland. The GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe, will bo among the spectators, and he will present the Kirk-Win deyer Cup to the winning team at the conclusion of play. CHANGES IN TEAMS. With the exception of the first two players changes have been made in’ both teams for the singles matches. Apperly, tile New South Wales captain, replaces Cutler, and will play in third position in opposition to Hornabrook. Menzies comes into the New Zealand team in fourth place, and will meet Ruwald. The inclusion of the Auckland Club member will be popular with local followers of the game.