GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19138, 2 October 1925, Page 12

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS.

PROFESSIONAL SEMI-FINALS. MOSS AND BLAIR WINNERS. GREAT CONTEST YESTERDAY. [BY TBLBGRAPH.—'PRESS - ASSOCIATION.] CHBISTCHUBCH. Thursday. Ideal golfing weather prevailed for the continuation of the championship tournament to-day, when the semi-finals of the professional championship were played, also a stroke handicap for amateurs. A driving competition was also held. In the professional championship E. J. I Moss beat J. Mcintosh, and H, R. Blair beat A. J. Shaw. The stroke handicap for amateurs resulted:—L. H. Campbell, 72; G. J. Templeton, 74. The driving competition, best average of four drives, was won by G. W. Ritchie, 261 yards. L, T. Quinn was second, 253 yards, and F. C. Fryer, third, 251 yards. Mr. R. C. Kirk's special prize for an in- . dividual drive was secured by Ritchie, 269 yards. Kapi Tareha was next, 267 yards. The semi finalists in the amateur championship, A., D. S. Duncan, A. E. Conway, T. H, Horton and Dr. Ross, rested to-day. Professional Championship. Moss beat Mcintosh, 3 and 1. Blair beat Shaw, at the 38th. At the end of the morning round Moss was 2 up. He was good in all departments except on the greens. He is very 1 much "oil" his putting, Mcintosh was | getting leiagth, but not direction. His iron work was very good but like Moss, his putting was weak. He is a brilliant player, but temperamental. In the afternoon Mota missed a putt on the first green and the hole was halved. Mcintosh got the ditch at the second. Bad putting cost Moss the next, and he had a chance to win the fourth in 3. Both were bunkered at the fifth. Moss got the better recovery and was 3 up. On the next green Mcintosh lay close in two, but could only halve in four. A putt cost Moss the short one, and Mcintosh also fot Land's End, in five. The ninth was alved in poor fives, Moss I up. # The tenth went to Moss in 4. Recovering from the rough Mcintosh holed a 15foot putt at the next, only to halve, Moss being stone dead. Mcintosh had a good chance at the eleventh. He gave it to Moss, who also failed and lost the hole to a five. Crossways was halved, and at the Upshot Moss holed a four and was 2 up. Both took five at the next, and the sixteenth was halved in fours, Moss dormy. Mcintosh then lost what chance he had by finding a bunker. Match o! the Tournament. The match between „ Blair and Shaw was the best that has so far been socn at the meeting. Shaw was 2 up at tho commencement of the afternoon, and it was thought by most of those present that he would be able to maintain his lead j throughout. Such, however, was not to : be tho case. His play showed no sign of J deterioration at any stage of the match, ) and it was hot until the thirteenth hole ; had been again reached that Blair commenced to threaten his position* He was ! then 3 up. Blair holed an 8-foot putt at | Crossways, to win in 2. He took three . to get on to the Upshot green, but sank a fine long downhill putt, beautifully judged, to halve in four. Going to O'Uorke's Shaw drove an exceptionally long ball, only to reach a bunker. He did not get out too well, but approached dead and halved in 4. Shaw 2 up. Both were on the next in 2. Shaw over-ran with his approach putt and missed the 4. Shaw 1 up. At Old Nick Shaw was on tho green and Blair was short. Blair approached well and holed a three, to win, Shaw musing his putt. All square. At the eighteenth Blair's second landed in the grassy bunker guarding the green. He made a sensational shot, the shot of the meeting, which almost got the hole. Shaw made a brave effort for a 3, failing only by a very little. Going on to the thirty-seventh hole of the match Blair was nicely on and Shaw was short. He approached well and halved in three. The seconds to the thirty-eighth were about equal. Blair pitched on with his third. Shaw attemptec a run, but stayed on the bank. He was again short in the approach and missed his putt, Blair winning the hole and match with a safe 5. The final, between Moss and Blair, will be played to-morrow.