SUTHERLAND’S TITLE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 April 1935, Page 7

SUTHERLAND’S TITLE

TARANAKI GOLF CHAMPION INGLEWOOD YOUTH’S SUCCESS H. P. DALE: BEATEN IN FINAL.

The 20-year-old Inglewood youth, D. V. Sutherland, reigning Taranaki champion of champions yesterday added another crown to his growing list by annexing the title of Taranaki amateur golf champion. Playing on the New Plymouth Golf Club’s Ngamotu links at Waiwakai'ho he defeated H. P. Dal© (Eltharii) in the final by three up and two to play. The weather conditions could have been little worse, steady rain, with occasional very heavy showers being driven by . a strong northerly wind. While Sutherland played consistently good golf throughout the tournament, much of the responsibility for Dale’s defeat lay with the latter’s putting. On the first nine greens he missed no fewer than seven putts of three feet or less. The driving honours were about even but Sutherland was tlie more accurate with his seconds and did not find one bunker in the sixteen hole's played. Dale’s chips and jrun-nps, however, ivere deadly and had he been putting well the result would probably have been reversed. Details of the finals are: TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP. D. V., Sutherland (Inglewood) beat H. P. Dale (Eltham), 3 and 2. WAIWAKATHO HANDICAP. M. Meuli (Okaiawa) 11 beat C. D. MeAllurii (New Plymouth)’ 15, 2 and 1. NGAMOTU HANDICAP. J. Morrison (Auckland) 9 beat V. Young (Stratford) 14, 2 and 1. CONSOLATION HANDICAP.

C. McKay (Inglewood) 10 beat G. F. Rich (New Plymouth) 10, 3 arid

Sutherland started the final well arid was on the first green in two, while Dale was out to the right. His chip was handy, however, and Sutherland required three putts to lose the hole in five to four. With the strong wind neither could reach the next green with his second. Both putted for fours but a half in lives resulted, Dale missing a two feet putt. Dale hooked his drive at the third but both were in front of the mouth of the green with their seconds. A chip arid two putts each gave another half in fives, after both had putted for fours. The match was squared at the fourth when Dale’s second almost found the bunker ori the left of the green, with Sutherland’s second well on. Both missed four feet putts for Sutherland to win in four to five. Two long drives left the fifth Vtee apd both found the green with their seconds, Sutherland being nearer. Dale’s putting cost him the hole when he failed to sink a; two feet putt and took five. Both were well on the sixth hut after one pritt each Sutherland was stymied and lost the hole in four to three, for the match to again he square; Dale had a certain win at the seventh following a beautiful drive, but he threw the chance away when he failed to hole another short putt. Poor play was showri at the eighth when Sutherland duffed his drive and his second. Two more were required to reach the green, Dale being on in three, but again the latter threw away a certain win by playing a putt of less than a foot past the hole. With the strong head wind the normally short ninth, become a full drive and Dale’s three iron was very short. Two putts gave him a four, but Sutherland had played a brassie and chipped up well for his three to turn for horrie one up. The long tenth provided the worst figures on the card. Both drove short balls and played cautiously short of the donga-with their thirds, but while Sutherland played on well, Dale kicked into the bunker on the right. He escaped well from a sloping lie and both putted up for Sutherland to be stymied. Dale could not sink his, however, and Sutherland won the hole in seven to eight. Then following a series of five halved holes. Both took three to the eleventh green for fives, but at the short twelfth Sutherland dropped short and Dale was bunkered. Both were on with their next shots and both putted for threes, but five feet putts missed and they secured their fours. Dale’s second was short of the next green, while his opponent was on, but Sutherland took three putts, Dale taking two. Two very poor shots left the fourteenth tee, Sutherland being on the line, blit very short, and Dale both off the line and short. Both found the green and took two pjitts for fours. It seemed that Dale’s mishit approach at the next would cost him the hole, hut Sutherland’s approach putt was only half way and fives halved the hole.

DISASTER AWAITS DALE. Disaster visited Dale at. the sixteenth where the match ended. Both drove just off the left edge of the fairway and into the wind both seconds were short. Sutherland put his third on but Dale’s high pitched shot drifted into the bunker whence he failed to return at the first attempt. His fifth was handy to the pin, as was Sutherland's approach putt and when Dale missed his putt Sutherland had two for a win. He was over eager and putted for his live but got the return, Dale taking seven. Mr F. S. Johns refereed. The card was: Sutherland.—Out: 5 5 5 4 4 4 5 6 3. In : 7 5 4 5 4 5 6. Dale.—Out: 45 5 553564. In: 8 5 4 5 4 5 7.

At the conclusion of play the trophies were presented by Mrs F. S. Johns, in the absence of Airs E. A. Walker. In spite of the boisterous weather the standard of play had been very good, said the president, Dr E. A. Walker. The entries numbering 122. were equal to last year’s figures and almost constituted a record. Most of the matches had been very closely contested and ha was sure that there would be general pleasure that a Tara-