GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 280, 27 October 1931, Page 7

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

MANAWATU TOURNAMENT. THE SEMI-FINALS. The Hokowhitu links were in firstclass order, but the weather was changeable, with a tricky wind, for the semi-finals of tlio amateur championship at the Manawatu Golf Club’s tournament this morning. Two seasoned players in Ekstedt and Collins emerged victorious over younger opponents, and they met in the finals this afternoon. The semi-finals of the Hokowhitu and Consolation Handicaps were also played this morning, in addition to a bogey handicap. The match between Ekstedt and Blyth was characterised by sensational putting by the former player in the opening stages, and this must have had a psychological effect for Blyth, though playing remarkably accurate mashie shots—this was the feature of his game—made a number of costly mistakes on the fairway. Ekstedt only once visited a bunker and played an excellent long game, while his work on the greens was at times brilliant. Blyth had an uphill fight all the way, but did not weaken perceptibly until after the turn for home. There was a close struggle between Collins and Keeling until the concluding stages, when the steadiness of the former asserted itself. Keeling made some good recoveries during the game, but was in the bunkers frequently. Details of this morning’s play are as follow: CHAMPIONSHIP. (Semi-finals.) A. E. Ekstedt (Manawatu) beat H. Blyth (Manawatu) 4 up and 3 to play. D. Collins (Wairarapa) beat W. A. Keeling (Manawatu) 3 up and 2 to play..

HOKOWHITU HANDICAP. (Semi-finals.) P. D. Daniell (Miramar) beat L. Giesen (Feilding) 5 up and 3 to play. F. Fenwick (Rangitikei) beat T. Louisson (Manawatu) 1 up. CONSOLATION HANDICAP. (Semi-finals.) M. N. Wa]lace (Manawatu) beat J. F. Wesney (Manawatu) 1 up. ■> N. H. Sinclair (Manawatu) beat G. I. McGregor (Manawatu) 7 up and 6 to play. PLAY DESCRIBED. Splendid recoveries by Ekstedt over the outward portion of the journey were a feature of his game with Blyth. Both were nicely on the green in two at the first to lie an almost equal distance from the pin. Blyth was just a few inches short with a long putt and almost stymied Ekstedt. The latter unconcernedly settled down to sink a great 22 foot putt for a beautiful tnree. Blyth was in the bunker with his tee shot to the second, but a nice mashie shot placed him two feet from the pin. Ekstedt surprised by missing a four foot putt for a half, and his opponent came on level terms. Ekstedt sent away a fine drive to Shotover, but played his second from an awkward lie right through the green. Blyth pulled his second into a bad position in long grass on the fringe of the bun Ker and was too strong with his third, which went over the back of the green. Ekstedt won the hole nicely 4 —5. Playing to the short Willows, Eketedt, with the wind behind him, put bris drive over the back of the green again and chipped out short. Blyth was short with his approach. Ekstedt, who had appeared to be losing the hole then sank his second sensational putt from a distance of well over 30 feet out. Blyth missed. Ekstedt took the hole In a scratch three to lead two up. , , , . , Strang’s saw Ekstedt put his second in the bunker, but he made a splendid recovery and they played good approaches to halve in live. Going to Clift View, Blyth, playing into the wind, badly sliced his drive on to the adjoining fairway, while Ekstedt just missed the bunker with his second and was short with his third. Blyth had recovered to play a great third, close to the pin, and holed a five footer to go dov\n in four to liis opponent’s five. They sent away good drives at River Side, which was halved in five, Blyth being a trifle weak with a putt for four. At the eighth Blyth hit liis tee shot out of bounds. He was two feet from the pin with his third. Ekstedt missed a putt for three, and they halved in four. Blyth did not reach the green with his drive at Eden and was a little strong in liis approach. Ekstedt putted and laid him. a dead stymie to win the hole and turn for home two up after having gone out in the scratch figures of 37, compared with his opponents 39. Blyth sliced his drive to the 10th, while Ekstedt was at the back of the green with his second. He amazed the onlookers by missing a three foot putt. 'Then, to their consternation, Blvth missed a two footer. They halved in five. , When Blyth played liis second over the bank for it to drop through the willows into the edge of the swamp, at Land’s End he appeared to be in all sorts of trouble, but he got out well and played his fourth to within nine inches of the pin. Ekstedt had a smooth approach and was down in four to increase his lead to three up. At Lagoon Hill Ekstedt was not up with his putt for two, and Blyth a beautiful putt from a distance of 15 feet to win the hole in two. Blyth took three to reach the next green, but Ekstedt made a lovely approach with his third, and was then half-stymied by Blyth. They halved in five, Ekstedt just failing with a putt for four. Blyth found the lip of the hunker with his drive up the fairway to the 14th, and >vas well short with Ins second, while Ekstedt played a beautiful shot up close to the. pm. Both stoned on the lip with their putts, an Ekstedt won the hole to again lead three up. , Going to the 15th, Blyth slightly topped liis drive, and put his second in the bunker. Ekstedt had a beautiful second ;md was down for an * 'eagle three to win the match 4 up and 3 to play. Ekstedt’s card to the 15th, where the match ended, was as follows :—Unt. 35435 5 5 4 3 37. In: 5 4 304 3. He played one under fours. WIN FOR D. C. COLLINS. Keeling and Collins halved the first two holes in par fours, but at the third -Keeling landed his .vjeond right in re middle of the bunker. He lipped _t.li hole for four and they halved m fiveCollins was through the back ot the green at Willows, where he made the same mistake as Ekstedt, but MnPP out well. However. Keeling was down in three after two parts to lead 1Collins came on equal terms a j next when he holed out a twenty putt for four to his opponents five. 1 hev did steady fives at the , ' , Both reached the green in two at the 7th, but Keeling took three putts. 11he eighth was halved in three and yO 'ns lost the ninth 4-3, taking three putts was in bad trouble at the tenth. He played Ins drive *l*° ■airwav bunker and put bis second in

the long grass to the left of the green. He took two shots to get out and then nearlv ran through the green, picking up. ‘He made amends bv going down in three at the difficult Land s End, where he laid his second almost dead after putting his first in the rough 4t the 12th Keeling played a good shot, but it jumped over the back of the green and ran down the hill. Me made a splhndid recovery, but lost the hole, Collins doing a nice three. Going to the 14th, Keeling duffed his drive and put his second in the rough to lose the 1 hole. At the next he was through the back of the green with his second after his drive Tiad struck the club-house roof and bounced over Both hooked their seconds into the bunker at the 16th. Keeling chipped out and the ball hit the _ cup, but bounced out again to lose him the hole and the match, Collins winning 3 up and 2 to play.