SUPERLATIVE GOLF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 21 September 1936, Page 2

SUPERLATIVE GOLF

HUGGINS AGAIN WINS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL WITH J. NEWMAN SATURDAY’S MATCH

By beating,.. J. Newman in a 36hole match on Saturday F. W. Huggins won the Nelson Golf Club Championship again. The weather was perfect, inclined to be dull with a slight sea breeze blowing. The course itself was in as good order as it has been the whole season as the spring growth is well away after the rain. Huggins was two up at lunch time, but after that played dazzling golf being four under par when the match ended .at the 12th hole in the second round. Newman played steadily the whole day the first few holes in each round being his poorest. Quite a fair gallery followed the match and were well rewarded by seeing such a great exhibition. THE PLAY At the first hole both were well away with their drives, and though Newman was just short of the green with his second he ran up well but missed the putt for a half in four. Huggins’ drive was a very long one at the second, hole his second shot being 20 yards short of the green; whilst Newman sliced his drive and played ■ a good second to within 30 yards of the green. Huggins’ run up was short but his putt overran the hole and laid Newman a half stymie, and the latter’s 7 foot putt for a win in 4 hit his opponent’s ball and stopped. At the third hole after a long straight drive Huggins placed his second seven feet past the pin. At this hole Newman ran into trouble as his second from a poorish drive hit a tree and his third was bunkered on the

right of the green and he failed to get out the first time, so making Huggins 2 up. Both had excellent shots at 'the short 4th, Newman 12 feet from the pin 'and Huggins just inside him, but neither holed the putt, i At the fifth after good drives and ' seconds both were strong with their ' approaches, Newman’s running right through. He made a nice run up though whilst Huggins over putted by eight feet. Both sunk their putts for j fives. Both were short with their seconds lat the 6th but nice run ups gave a half in 4. Newman had the advantage at the short seventh (“The Corner”) when both were nicely on. Huggins overran with his first putt and Newman with a putt that nedrly holed laid a three-quarter stymie which Huggins' failed to negotiate—Huggins 1 up. At 1 the eighth, Huggins was nicely on in two and Newman ten yards short but a good run up gave him a half in 4. Both drives at the ninth Were high into the wind reaching the big hollow. Huggins’ second was just short of the green whilst Newman’s was half way up the steep bank to the 10th tee. Huggins approached shortish and lipped the hole for a 4, whilst Newman from an exceptionally difficult stance played a perfect chip within four feet of the pin and siink the putt to make the match square. At the tenth Newman’s second was just through the green whilst Huggins’ was under three feet from the ’Pin. Newman made a great effort to hole his chip shot and just missed the hole to be one down. After mishitting his approach, Newman made a good recovery to halve in 4. At the War- , rens, Newman from between the trees played a perfect approach to get a three. Huggins’ putt of 12 feet just lipped the hole—all square. | Both were on Spion Kop green in two but well away from the hole and both three putted—the green being rough. Newman was 20 yards short and Huggins through at the fourteenth but perfect run ups gave them easy 3’s. Newman had the best approach at the long 15th but it was halved in s’s. At the short 16th Newman was stymied and robbed of his half. At the 17th Newman three putted to be two down. The last hole of the morning showed Newman two feet from the pin in two, Huggins’ 3rd laying a dead stymie. Newman made a good attempt to play over with his No. 8 but was just too strong and a half resulted.

Huggins came in 2 up for the first round.

THE AFTERNOON PLAY I In the afternoon Huggins played the first hole in the regulation 4 whilst Newman’s second found the bunker on the right from which he failed to get out the first time. Huggins’ 2nd at the next (Sandhills) was just through and his third dead to get a birdie 4 to be 4 up as Newman failed to hole his 20 foot putt by a small margin. The third was played well by both to get regulation fours, Newman lipping the hole with his 16 footer for a birdie three. Neither were on the fourth with their

tee shots but both played good chips to halve in 3’s. At the fifth Huggins’ approach putt from the edge of the green hit the hole and stopped three feet away. Newman failed with his putt for a four and they halved in s’s. At the sixth both played well and it was halved in birdie 4’s. At- the short seventh Newman missed a two foot putt for a half in three, Huggins now being 5 up. A regulation 4 was played by Huggins at the Bth whilst Newman was short' with his second from a heavy lie in the rough. His next failed to reach the green.—Huggins 6 up. Both missed reasonable putts at the ninth for fours, Huggins' being quite a short one. Newman just missed his three at the tenth for a win. At the eleventh Huggins played a great approach after a long drive to within six feet of the pin. Newman was slightly strong with his approach and his run up hit Huggins’ ball, making his putt for a birdie three easier still. He holed it to be dormy seven.

At the twelfth Huggins again played a perfect approach after a long drive and a two foot six putt gave him another birdie three to win the match 8 up and seven to play. His afternoon score till the match finished was' four under the scratch score.

LEGGATT CUP DR. J. U. WILLIAMS WINS In the final of the Leggatt Cup, Dr. J. U. Williams was -two up on J. A. Mitchell at the end of the first round after twice being stymied and knock*ing his opponent in. In the afternoon J. A. Mitchell started off well, bringing the match back to square at the fourth but after that could not hold Dr. Williams who won 6 up and 5 to play. COCK CUP In the Cock Cup final M. Rout had a strong lead of 8 up on Arter in the morning round and won by the large margin of 10 up and 8 to play. FOUNDERS CUP In the final Trathen defeated Cameron by 6 and 5 in a thirty-six hole match. "VTEWMAN’S Motor Services run Daily (Sunday excepted) to Blenheim, Christchurch, Motueka, Takaka, Westport, Reefton and Greymouth. Telephones 124, 1078 (1109 all night).