DODGSHUN’S TITLE WIN IN P.B. CLUB OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23042, 5 September 1949, Page 4

DODGSHUN’S TITLE WIN IN P.B. CLUB OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

GOLF

Though the standard of goif was not n<j to the average of finals played in the past two years, .1. T. Dodgshun and G. H. Stewart put on a keenly interesting tussle for the open championship honours in the final stages of the P.B. Golf Club’s annual tournament on Saturday, Dodgshun winning at the eighteenth.

His opponent dropped two or three good chances to establish and hold a lead in the course of the match, and putting on both sides was shaky in the pinches. _ The final game nevertheless contained many of the elements of first-class competition, and the close finish delighted all who had followed the fortunes of the two surviving contestants.

Three Matches Go To ISth

The new champion did not come by his title easily, for in the process of match play he had had to defeat successively F. Fenwick, scratch man in the P.B. Golf Club and a regular contender for championship honours, and R. I. Harrison, a Norsewood scratch player. These earlier matches went to the eighteenth, as did the final, and Dodgshun had had a lot of hard work and tight pinches before he qualified to meet Stewart in the final. In his first-round match Stewart found M. Cameron, a 10-handicap player among the visitors, a tough opponent who took him right through to the last hole. In the second round and semi-final, however, he had fairly comfortable wins against B. Jenkins and J, H. Mansfield, his morning round against the latter on Saturday leaving Stewart fairly fresh for the final in the afternoon.

Aii Square at the Turn

The first nine holes of the deciding game were fairly even, with both players liable to error in placing their approach shots. After losing the first hole and taking the second Dodgshun had his opponent on the defensive for the next seven, benig one up as they went to the ninth tee.

He was a bit short of the greeen with his second, whereas Stewart fell away into the hollow and had a chip over a hump to reach the green, and then was a good distance from the pin. Dodgshun rolled up nicely, but missed badly with a short putt, while Stewart putted surely for a four to win the hole. Stewart took the lead with a par four for the tenth, but dropped it again with a bad putt on the next hole, where Dodgshun was down in three. Dodgshun took the next two, and went to the fourteenth tee two up. A par four on this hole, a birdie four on the fifteenth, and another par four on the sixteenth, however, put Stewart one up again.

Poor Putting Sacrifice* Lead

The pressure was on at the seventeenth, and Stewart had every chance to win the match here. After a fine drive across the road he was almost level with the green with his second- Dodgshun’s drive fell close to the trees, and he had a most awkward lie from which, however, he §ot a good shot away, crossing the fairway diagonally to lodge in the rough at the roadside. His third got him handy to the green and his fourth close to the pin. Stewart played his third to the far edge of the green, but still had two for a half. He got up close to the pin, and then missed an easy putt, Dodgshun taking the hole with a par five. , . , They both drove well at the eighteenth, and Dodgshun got to, the edge of the green with a fine second, whereas Stewart pulled a little and found his ball among the furrows of the practice area. The umpire allowed him to drop twice without penalty and he then chipped up brilliantly. Dodgshun’s third was short but he got up to the pin with his fourth. Stewart had a six-foot putt for a win, but he rolled past the hole and partially behind his opponent’s ball. He had half a hole to shoot at for a half, but again failed, and left his opponent an easy putt to win the watch. Score Well Outside Far On the way in Dodgshun took 43 strokes and Stewart 44, against a par of 38, the scores throughout being:— Dodgshun.—Out: 6,3, 6,5, 6,3, 5, 5,5; 44, In: 5,3, 5,5, 5,5, 5, 5. 5: 43. Stewart—-Out: 5,4, 6,6, 5,4, 4. 6, 4; 44. In: 4. 4,6, 6,4, 4,4, 6,6: 44. Details of general results on Saturday afternoon were:— P.B. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Final. —J. T. Dodgshun d. G. H. Stewart, 1 up. BARRINGTON MILLER CUP CAPFinal.—F. T. Swindell (7) d. S. Randell (2), 2 and 1. GISBORNE HANDICAP TOURNEY Final.—N. H. Bull (8) d. R. Smaill (9) 1 upHandicap Tourney No. 4 Final.—R. G. Robb (10) d. W- SL Hookey (10), 6 and 4 Handicap Tourney No. 5 Final.—P. M. Reynolds (13) d. 7. Playfair (13), at the nineteenth. Handicap Tourney No- 6 Final.—J. H. Croskery (14) d. W. J. Mclldowie (17), 3 and 1. Championship Flight Final.—J. S. Barns-Graham d. S- K Murley, 4 and 3. Miller Cup Flight Final—J. J. Steevens (8) d. N. Bal- . four (10), 3 and 1. Gisborne Handicap Flight Final—C. J. Smith (11) d. H. Orrell (7). Flight No. 4. Final.—H. Bodle (13) d. G. Harris (10) Flight No. 5 Final. —J. Atkins (13) d. L. W. Luxton (14), 1 up. Flight No. 6.

Final. —H, Bushett (14) d. A- R. Smith (13), 3 and 2. . A Stableford bogey match played in conjunction with Saturday mornings match round was won by H. Bodle (handicap 13), with a score of 37 points, the runner-up being R. Robb (10), with 3'Spts. In. the afternoon a four-ball bestball bogey competition was won by E. V. Bayliss and R. W. Steevens, 5 up, with G- Farmer and J. S. Adams in second place, 4 up. The presentation of trophies, conducted by Mr. J. Barns-Graham as a foundation member of the P-o. Goir Club, offered an opportunity to the club captain, Mr J. 0. Musgrave, to express appreciation of the support given to the tournament by visitors from other districts. The captain paid a warm tribute to the ladies committee which had handled the catering for the fixture, and to the team of rlnb members who with the secretary Mr RW J. Edwards, had been retnn'nsible for the smooth running of £e tournament. He also referred to the services of the greenkeeper, Mr L. File whose work was evidenced by the excellent condition of the iairways and greens.

WEEK-END PLAY AT AWAPUNI A medal match comprised the programme for the week-end on the Awapuni links, the winner turning up in r Greening with a net 72 from a handicap of 22. S. J. Dodgshun (handicap 12) returned a net 73, and other leading scorers were A. W. Hoy (13), 75- B R- Adair (15), 76; A. Collinson (4), d. McWha (14). 78; J. C. Coutts (9), 80; and A. K. Russell (12), 81. The August tankard competition was won by A. W. Hoy (handicap 13) with net scores of 74 and '5 on selected rounds and a 75 on the test round, returning a net aggregate of 224.