GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18198, 18 September 1922, Page 9

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

DUNCAN WINS AMATEUR. TITLE GAINED NINE TIMES. THE PROFESSIONAL MATCH. jjAM DEFEATS SHAW. , „ -jXEGRArH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PALMERSTON N'OKTH. Saturday. phenomena! interest was taken in the finals for the professional and amateur golf championships to-day. The weather was fj ne and a crowd of 300 people followed Arthur Duncan and H. L Horton in the deciding amateur match. A fair audience also attended the fight between Ham and <? na w hi deciding the professional supremacy. H, }~ Horton, the 26-year-old Masterton player, started off strongly in the match against A. D. S. Duncan, winning the first hole in a brilliant 3 to 4. Both men saw half in bogey 4 at the second. The third was halved in bogey 5, both missing short putts for a win. Going_ to the next. Horton was too strong with the mashie. His second over the road ball pitched on the green, but ran through and down the bank, and Duncan took the honours for the first time in 4 to 5 all 6quare. Good long play saw them on in three at the fifth. By a running down putt of 15ft. Duncan drew 1 up in a perfect 4 to 5. Par golf /.ras played by Duncan at the sixth. Keening a line straight as an arrow, he did the- 442 yds. in 4, beating bogey twice in succession, and drawing 2 up. Playing short at the 7th Duncan was nicely on off the tee, but Horton was too strong, and overran the green lying within a few inches of a wire fence. The Masterton man crawled through the fence, and played cleverly on to the green. Duncan, however, made no mistake and drew 3 up in 3 to 4. The Bth was halved in bogey 4, where Duncan sank an Bft. putt. Both got fine drives against the wind going to the 9th. Horton was just through "the green with a brassie second,, while Dunran was pin high to the left. Horton had the best of the mashie approaches and took the hole 4 to 5.

Two Up at the Turn. Duncan was 2up at- the turn. It had taken Duncan 57 and Hcrton 39 for the run out. Horton got a better drive going to the lOth. Duncan's brassie second lodired in a nasty little cup-top bunker, and he could only chop the third with the niblick on to the green. Horton registered bogey 5. and reduced the leeway to 1 clown. Horton at this ho'e laid Duncan a stymie, which latter ho failed to get round, striking Horton V. bail. Horton pulled his drive at the 11th on to the 12th fairway, while the Wellington man hit a beauty straight down the centre of the fairway. Horton failed to reach the green with his second. Duncan slightly sliced his second, while his mashie third got an unlucky kick. Faulty short play by Horton saw the hole go to Duncan 5 to 6. Duncan was 2 up again at the short 12tlu Duncan was on from the tee, hut Horton fulled to the left and a fault lost him the ole, which the veteran took, 3 to 4. Duncan 3 up. Duncan's ball rested on top of the bunker from the drive, but he played a clever brassie with his second from a bad stance, and followed up with a long brassie for his third. Horton was green-high with three clinking shots. Duncan played a ?erfect mashie approach for a sure 5. lorion had a good chanoe for a hole, but failed. He laid Duncan a stymie, and a half in 6 followed. Duncan played superlative golf at the next hole. A beautiful drive was followed by a long brassie, .the second line being perfect. *" Horton was close up in two. Duncan played a pretty mashie approach, and captured the hole by running down a 15ft. putt for a perfect 4, one under bogey. Horton just failed with his putt for 4. Duncan 4 up. The younger player appeared to be " cracking up," while the veteran was filaying with wonderful precision and * confidence. Horton badlv duffed his brassie second going to "the fifteenth, and never recovered. Duncan went on to the hole, which he won, bogey 5 to 6. Duncan 5 up. Duncan Forges Ahead.

Duncan was nicely on from the tee at the sixteenth. Hortori played a good • me but » strong wind took the ball and deflected it into the bunker to the ri<*ht and Duncan took another hole in , 3°to'4. Duncan 6 up. The Wellington | man-was playing,, like a book, and took j the seventeenth m 4 to 5, making him 7 up Duncan recorded a beautiful 4 at the eighteenth, one under par. Morton went all to pieces here. He pulled his drive and badly placed his recond in a bunker. He was short with his third, and badly duffed his fourth. It was only a good approach which enabled him to score a 6. Duncan then went in to lunch, 8 up on his opponent Duncan had taken 40 and Horton 47 for the round, but worse was to come, a 8 Duncan took the nineteenth after lunch in 4 to 5. Horton was too strong with a second, and could not chip up with a third. A peerless 5 went down on the Wellington mans card at the twentieth. Two beautiful shots landed him on the green, and he ran down a 20ft. putt for 3, two under par. Duncan then came to light with some; nice golf, and captured the twenty-first <393vd5.) in 4 to 5. He also took the twentv-second in 4 to 5, and reduced the leewav to 8 up again. Duncan wa.no to be" denied, however. Two beautiful shots and a pretty mashie approach laid him dead, and he recorded 4, one under par, Horton taking bogey 5. Duncan j up. The twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth were halved in 4 and 5, and taking the twenty-seventh in 4 to b, Duncan won the match by 10 up and J, to play. . t-. This is the ninth time Arthur Duncan has won the championship, as ho also j carried off the honour in 1899, 1900, 1901, , 1905. 1907. 1909. 1911, and 1914. His: run out this afternoon was: 4, 3, 5, 5.1 4, 4, 4, 4, 4—37. *" Professional Match. The final of the professional match ' attracted spectators who preferred to seean even game. Although not bri.liant. golf, the- game had its tips and downs, T.-ith the Heretaunga professional, A. U. . Ham, always having something in hand • against the" young Auckland professional, A. J. Shaw. "The game proved conclusively that Arthur Duncan is in a class by him- j self, and that professionals are not super- j men. but ate very human, suffering just as acute! v from nerves as any amateur, and missing .short putts when they need them. The game started with each on his mettle, and roso'ved itseu into safe play,-. rarely characterised in the morning round | with aggressiveness. Both men were far j from being at home on the greens. They complained that it was impossible to play i with confidence, .is the greens had just been rolled in the morning, and the fairly long grass was half up, while 'he balls! often lav in little holes caused by heavy) play. Ham found the tees too soft for the mashie. Iving short earn time. Thp match'started in spectacular fashion, Shaw lifting his drive, while ho priced his second, a high mashie. well over the green into an adjacent paddock. Nobody caught sight of the ball, and a distinct breach of rules occurred, 100 people searching in the rough for the ball. Ham lay nicely on the green with his second, While Shaw's third hit the pin high up on the bounce, rebounding at riL'ht angles, while his putt dead stymied Ham's approach putt. Ham, having two for a win. wisely refrained from attempting a mashie, taking the hole in 5 to 6. The. pair were just short of the green with mashie approaches at the second, placing a nice -short mashie pitch and run in handy positions, but both missed comparatively easy putts of 3ft., a half in 5 resulting at the third. Ham. drew 2 up

by laying a short approach nearer the pin and putting out in 4 to 5. Shaw SO- a great drive H t the. fourth, and lay mill \ rom „ the P» n ' oat £ nice approach pott by Ham saw Shaw's hall pull up * short for 3, a half resulting. P HVm n, and S En c d , e lir were on in 3, Ham ruissmg a sft. putt for a win, a half in o resulting. Ham elected to play the second with a driver at the sixth, but J.d bnffy shot, pin-high, taking the hole * to 5. Ham 1 up. At the seventh bhaw was pi» high, while Ham was short vMth Ins mashie, but approached within wi. of the pin, while Shaw's approach putt, a trifle strong, left him the same distame past the pin. Both missed putts for 3 leaving a half in 4. Shaw got away a i dr n Ve ', but lifted his he£d too soon, and fell short. Ho lav Ham 3ft. from the pui, with 2 for a win, which ho took. "rawing 2 up again. Ham had the next, when Shaw s second found an awkward position in the bunker, which he just chopped out, lying dead with his fifth, an approach putt, but Ham made no mistake, sinking a long putt for 4. Ham had a useful position at the tenth. Shaw being through the green, and laving his fourth oft. from the pin, but Ham missed the 3ft. putt for a win, halving in 5. Shaw pulled his drive, but gained a commanding position with a great mashie recovery, while Ham's second was over the green', losing him the hole. 5 to 4. Ham again played a mashie iron push shot short, while Shaw lay on the edse of the green. Both got good second approaches, but missed easy putts. Ham i!ot away a nice second spoon shot while Shaw played a great shot with the loftma iron, halving in 5. Ham's third was .stymied, but he played an easy mashie chip, hurdling prettily into the* hole for a half. Shaw found a bunker with his second, but a creat 20ft. putt saw him recover to 1 down in 4 to 5, only to lose the next, having an easv 3ft. 'putt for two, and Ham sinking a 6ft. putt drew 3 up again, and missing the easiest of putts for a win at the last hole finished 3 up at lunch time. Ham Four Up. On resuming Ham drew 4 up by holing a sensational mashie- chip approach for 3. Shaw made matters interesting again by taking a second through a weak ap- > oach putt by Ham at the fifth. Ham's second was a magnificent cleek shot, but Shaw laid his third dead, and also gained the seventh through Ham topping a mashie tee shot, bringing Shaw up to i down. Ham halved the ninth bv sinking a 30ft. putt, but won the eleventh, Siiaw missing a sft. putt. Ham missed a 2ft, putt at the thirteenth, Shaw again returning to 1 down. Ham took the next, his third, a pretty pitch and run mashie, struck the green. A poor putt lost Shaw a good chance of winning at the fifteenth. The sixteenth was halved in bogey 3. Shaw's short putt stopped on the brink, but the ball overbalanced back into the hole. The seventeenth was halved, leaving Ham, who was playing very fair golf, winner bv 2 up and 1 to play. At the presentation of prizes after the tournament. Mr. R. 0. Kirk, president of the New Zealand Golf Council, said that the standard of play was liic'her than seen in any previous year, and gave it as his opinion that if professionals had as much leisure for practice as amateurs the line of demarcation would be more marked. In congratulating Brooks, Ham, and A. D. S. Duncan the president said that during his visit to England last vear Duncan had taken coaching from the leading English professionals, and had acknowledged that until he had gone to England he did not know how to play his irons. The president advised more prosaic practice and less playing round for all who wished to excel at the game. The following is a list of amateur and open champions of New Zealand: —

THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. IS93—J. A. SomruerviU© (Otago). 1894— H. McNeil (Otago). 1895— G. Goasett (Chriatchurch). IS96—M. S. Todd 1897—D. Pryde- (Wellington). 1883— W. Pryde (Wellington). 1839—A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1000—A. D. S. Ihincan (Wellington). 1901—A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1902—5. H. Collar. (Napier). 1903— K. Tareha (Napier). 1901—A. H. Fisher (Otago). 1905—A- D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 19C6—S. H. Gollan (Napier). 1907—A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 190S— H. C. Smith (Otago). 1909—A. D. S-' Duncan (Wellington). 1910— H. B. Luek (Christchurch, now Auckland). 1911—A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1912—8. B. Wood (Christchurch). 1913—8. B. Wood (Christchurch). 1914—A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1915-18—No champion c hip owing to the war. 1919— H. C. Cro-sf (Naoier). l<vyv_S. Monvth 'Hamilton). 1°"1— A. C. Sim" <Oi»ymonth). 19-22—A. D. S.- Duncan OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. 1907— A. D. S. Duncan /Wellington). 1908— J. A- Clements (Wanganui). 1909 —J. A. Clements (Waneanui). 1910—A. D S. Duncan (Wellington). 19H—A. D. S. Duncan 1912— J. A. (Christchurch). IQI3—E. S (Nelson), loi 4_F. S. Donetoi (Wanganui). 1915-18-—No champicnshir> on account of th- Trar. ir*i<*_F,. s. W»n«mui). ;jooc;_t. ft. Kirkwr-ocl (YictcmV looi_e. S. Pous'a* (Vir»m»r, Wellington). 1922—A. Brooks (Wellington). LADIES VERSUS MEN. CONTEST BETWEEN TEAMS. MEN WIN ON FOURSOMES. IB* TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PALMERSTON NORTH. Sunday. The closing scene in the golf carnival was one of the most interesting of the whole week. This was the match in which 12 leading lady players of the Dominion opposed 12 leading amateurs, the men conceding the ladies a stroke at odd numbered holes, and allowing them to play off the ladies' tees. It was the first game of the kind ever played in the Dominion, and it aroused exceptional interest, as showing just the difference in the standard of play between the women and men. The day was bitterly cold, with rain squalls. Foursomes played in the morning resulted in a win for the men by four games, the remaining game being halved. Mrs. Guy Williams and Miss Gambrill succeeded in halving their game with A. Duncan and H. L. Morpeth, both ladies playing fine golf. The following are the results. —Mrs. Guy Williams (Mastcrton) and Miss M. Gambrill (Miramar) v. A. Duncan and T. H. Horton, all square; Miss Pay ton (Auckland) and Miss Drown (Napier) lost to J. C. Bidwill and S. Morpeth, 2 down and 1; Miss McCarthy (Dunedin) and Miss Robieson (Masterlon) lost to H. E. Crosse and A. E. Ekstedt, 3 down and 2: Mrs. Murphy (Lower Hutt) and Miss Cracroft Wilson" (Christchurch) lost to A. B. Wight (Dunedin) and Dr. Williams (Wanganui), 3 down and 2. Miss Bell (Wellington) and Miss Anderson (Christchurch) lost to D. C. Collins and J. Goss, 6 down and 4.

I The Singles. I The ladies made a better fight, of it in the singles, which resulted in a draw, both sides winning four games, while •the remaining two were halved. j The sensation of the day was the ! defeat of A. Duncan, the amateur I champion, by Mrs. Guy Williams, the | lady champion, by 4 up and 2 Mrs. j Williams played superlative golf. Going out she beat'Duncan at the first hole in | 4 to 5 without a. handicap. The lady was ! on the green from the tee at the second, I while Duncan was on the far edge. With his second, Duncan ran down a sensational putt of 35yds. from the edge of the green for 3. Mrs. Williams was short with an approach putt, but sank a 15ft. for a half in 3. Mrs. Williams recorded a brilliant 4 to 5 at the third, and again beat Duncan without handicap. Duncan was too strong off the tee with the wind at the fourth, and in attempting to loft over the trees the ball hung up in a totara tree. Duncan jumped in the air and hit the ball down. The lady made no mistake, and drew 3 up in 4 to 5. Both played fine golf at the fifth, where both recorded 4's, the hole going to Mrs. Williams' stroke allowance. Going on in faultless style Mrs. Williams, recorded 5 4, 5, and 4, and was 5 up at the turn. It had taken Mrs. Williams 37 for the out journev, 3 under bogey, which Duncan had equalled. The tenth was halved in bogey 5, and Mrs., Williams drew 6 up by

recording bogey 4 to 5 at the eleventh, again beating Duncan without handicap. The amateur champion was playing well, and proved himself a good fighter by doing his level best against impossible odds He took the twelfth in 3to 4. The thirteenth was halved in 6t05 by virtuo of Mrs. Williams allowance of a strode. This placed Mrs. Williams in a happy position dormy five. Duncan was still fighting hard, and took the fourteenth in 4to 6. Mrs. Williams here got into u bunk- •• with her second. Duncan also recorded a bogey 5 at the next hole, where the lady champion went to piece*. Mrs. Williams dormy 3. The end came at the short sixteenth, where Duncan missed a short putt for half, Mrs. Williams taking the ma!oh by 4up and 2to play. It was the first defeat Arthur Duncan had experienced during the week. Mrs, Williams played liko a champion. Her out journey reading : 4, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, <■;, 5, 4— 37. * Other Good Games. Miss Cracroft Wilson was too good for J. Goss, sinking putts from any place. The Christchurch champion was 6 up at the seventh hole, and the Wanganui man could not bring down the leeway, having to accept defeat by the great margin of 6 up and 5 to play. A. B. Wight "kept one up on Mrs. Murphy, being that much in hand at the sixth, and at the turn, and also at the twelfth, but the veteran lady player effected a surprise on the Dunedin man when dormy one by sinking a 20-footer j for a win.'finishing all square. D. G. Collins fought a hard battle with Mrs. Bell, their game being the deciding one of the contest. The pair I were all square at the sixth, plus! 1. the man being one down at the 12th, j "hile they wove all square aftiie last hole. ] They were the last couple, and the teams j had' 5k wins each. Mrs. Bell lay nicely on the green in 2, but the plus 1 man was iust "(Tver the green. His approach was short, and Mrs. Bell putted nicely up to the hole. Collins made a good approach putt and just missed sinking it, while Mrs. Bell putted too boldly, the ball bouncing out, and the match finished with honours easv. Singles:—Mrs. Guy Williams beat A. Duncan, 4 up and 2 ; Miss Wright lost to T. 11. Horton, 2 down ; Miss Gambrill beat J. C. Bidwell. 4 up: Miss Pay ton beat S. Morpeth. 2 and 1 : Miss Brown lost to H. :E. Crosse. 1 down; Mrs. McCarthy lost to A. E. Ekstedt, 2 down: Miss Robieson 'lost to Dr. Williams. 4 down and 2 ; Mrs. Murnhv and C. B. Wight, all square; Miss Wilson beat J. Goss, 6 and 5 ; Miss Bell and J. C. Collins, all square. I