Golf at Palmerston

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 232, 13 September 1922, Page 5

Golf at Palmerston

THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. DETAILS OF THE PLAY. (Special to “Tribune.”) (Continued from page 2.) Palmerston N., Sept. 13. The weather yesterdn” cannot be said to have affected the golf championship, judging by the scores and the standard of play, while the battle for the Open Chapionship between Brooks and Black is unable to equal any conditions. Duncan’s brilliance in the morning promised well, but there was a pitiful collapse in the fourth round, his score being 86. This left Black and Brooks to fight it out, the former being a stroke ahead on the morning’s play. The spectators were so convinced that Black would win that over 60 followed his play. Brooks, with Lusk, started some time before, beginning with a big drive. His second was short, and the first holo cost him 5. At the second he made a good drive to the edge of the green, holing out with a lovely putt for 3. He made made a good drive and a spoon shot at the third hole, the wind carrying the ball into the bunker, taking 6 at the 9th; bad luck in putting cost 5. The 11th was marked by very bad luck. After a beautiful spoon shot on to the green, where a hole on the slope necessitated a half-moon shot, for 5, Brooks made a good drive at the 13th, a Long Tom ball stopping on the edge of the hole and converting an apparent 4 into a 5. The 15th saw a good drive, and the second pitched well, but ran through, and just lipped the hole, and was done in 5. The 18th was done in 5. A splendid drive was just short of the bunker, and left a bad lie. He lifted with his niblick short of the green, and lipped for 3 going 2ft past into a bad lie. he just missed the next, and, anfter picking the ball up, tfirew it down disgusted, thinking his play had cost him the championship. In the meantime Black, after starting with 3, beat bogey to the 4th. and w’as doing well to the 11th, where he struck trouble, that hole costing 6 due to sJ,lcAfig 4,he second mashie shot. Again at the 13th he caught a bunker and it took 2 to get it out. He did well to hole out in 7. At the 14th the ball got buried after a second brassie shot, the hole costing 6. Black made a brilliant recovery on the 18th for 3, a splendid approach and a putt. The comparative scores were: Brooks, outward, 536455345, equal to 40; inward, 553545335, <-qual to 38. Black outward, 345546444, equal to 39; inward, 463765343, equal to 41. It was a popular win, and cheers were given for both men. Clements and Ekstedt tied for third, Duncan and Morpeth tyiing for fourth. Duncan is still considered a likely winner for the amateur championship. Morpeth was erratic, but not only one who was not short on the 7th hole, otherwise he appeared right off. Bell was disappointing throughout with 87, 82, 81, and 87, attributable partly to never playing twice with the same partner, and always emerging with long handicap men. Sime never improved as expected, and was obviously outclassed. Lusk is still weak in putting, but excellent in dri .ing. Horton is similar. Bidwill played a good morning round in 77. Wight did the same in the afternoon play. Crosse also suffered in putting. Balneavis just qualified with steady golf. The greens are very bumpy; also the removal of several holes to higher levels on the greens is probably responsible for the general poor putting. The local rule is that if a ball is embedded on the green it can. be lifted without a penalty. M. Duncan in his morning round made a brilliant putt at 10th. Beating bogey at 12th, but took 6 at the 13th. At the 17th a long ball from the tee struck the edge of the bunker, bouncing to a good lie. His second landed him on the green, holing in 3 at the 18th. He player the second from below the bank, and landed on the green and holed with a brilliant putt. His (Duncan’s) card showed: Outward, 545545444, equal to 40; inward, 4426 55333, equal to 35. To-morrow sixteen qualified amateurs and eight of the best professionals will play, being the play off for the respective championships; also the bogey handicap and the competition of 18 holes. Wilson and Templar /lay off for the sixteenth qualifying place. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. RESULTS TO DATE. (Per Press Association.) Palmerston N., Sept. 13. x The first round of the amateur golf championship, also the first round of the professionals’ match, commenced to-day in fine,dull weather, with a cold easterly.. Results so far are as follows :— Amteurs.—Wilson, one up; Black and Sime, 2 up; Wright and Wright, 2 up; Duncan and Collins, square; Morpeth arid Bidwill, square. Professionals. —Blair, 3 up ; McCormick and Ham, 1 up; Clements and Shaw. 5 up; Brooks and Butters, 3 up; The full course round will be completed this afternoon.