GOLF TOURNAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 107, 6 April 1926, Page 7

GOLF TOURNAMENT

EKSTEDT AND HUTCHISON IN THE FINAL. L. SEIFERT’S UP-HILL GAME. Tho semi-finals of the major events of tho Manawatu Golf Club’s Easter tournament wore decided this morning in ideal weather, and the finals were commenced this afternoon. THE CHAMPIONSHIP. Tho semi-finals of the championship resulted: A. E. Ekstedt (Manawatu) beat Louis Seifert (Manawatu), 3 up and 1 to play. H. H. Hutchison (Manawatu) beat Imlay Saunders (Wanganui), 5 up and 4 to play. The Manawatu champion, A. E. Ekstedt, had to retain Ins good form to beat his club mate, Louis Seifert, 3 up and 1 in tho championship semifinal. Both went round under standard, playing out for the sake of the bogey handicap in 75 and 78 respectively'. A feature of the match was Seifert’s “up-hill” play, for at one stage he was six down 'and seven to play. Ekstedt’s card read: Out, 4,4, 4,4, 3,4, 4,3, 6—30; in, 4,4, 4,5, 4,5, 4, 4 5 —39; total, 75. Seifert's record was: Out, 4,5, 5,5, 3,4, 4,4, G—4o; in, 5,5, 3,4, 3,4, 4,5, 5 —33; total, 78. Bogey for the course is 79.

Ekstedt, it will be seen, was four up at the turn and six up after playing the eleventh, and Seifert’s was a splendid attempt at recovery to take the next four holes in succession. The sixteenth was halved, and Ekstedt annexed the honour by doing Taipo in the bogey figure (4) to his opponent’s 5. It was an interesting semi-final. H. H. Hutchison (Manawatu) in the other semi-final did excellently to beat Imlay Saunders, the Wanganui champion ,and several times Manawatu open champion. Saunders took the first hole, but lost the next 6 —5 (bogey 5). The third was halved, and Hutchison assumed tho lead at Ti Tis (tho fourth), where the Wanganui man took six. A three at tho eighth gavo Hutchison a lead of two up, the intervening holes and the ninth, tenth and eleventh being halved. Hutchison finished brilliantly in a run of three threes to Saunders 4,4, 4, and won five up and four to P Hutchison’s card read: Out, 4,5, 4, 5,3, 4,5, 3, 6—39 ; in, 5, G 3,3, 3 20 (total 59 for 14 holes —bogey 61). Imlay Saunders’ card was as follows: Out, 3. G, 4. G. 3,4, 54 G—--41; in, 5, G, 4,4, 4—23 (total 64 for 14 holes). HOKOWHITU HANDICAP.

Tho semi-finals of tho Hokowhitu handicap resulted: — . , ... P. D. Daniell (6) Ranui, heat W. Seifert (5) Manawatu, 3 'and 2. C. B. Riddell (11) Dannevirke, beat L. Seifert, junr (9) Manawatu, 2 up. No cards were kept in tho Hokowhitu handicap semi-finals, but it is interesting-to record that Louis Seifert, junr, who was defeated by C. B. Riddell, was three up at the eighth, but went down over the homeward ionrnev. He has proved himself to be a young player brimful of promise, and with a continuance of the careful coaching ho now receives should develop into a champion.

Without doubt the Easter tournament that will bo concluded this afternoon has been a very great success, this being due to several causes. It is the largest tournament in number of entries the club lias ever run excepting of course, tho New Zealand championship meeting in 1922. The great attraction of this year’s Easter tournament is no doubt in some measure duo to tbo very handsome cup that Mr P. A. McHardy so kindly presented to the club. This was on view to-day at the club rooms, and was very much admired. Unfortunately Mr McHardy, who usually attends the club’s tournaments, is unable to be present on this occasion, and bis absence lias been very keenly felt.