CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19455, 11 October 1926, Page 15

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF.

NEW ZEALAND TOURNAMENT. COMMENCEMENT NEXT FRIDAY. THE TEAM FROM AUSTRALIA. - BY NIBLICK. The New Zealand golf championships will commence next Friday at Miramar, Wellington. The interest of the event is considerably heightened by the fact that ■j number of -leading Australian golfers "ill take part. Hector Morrison, amateur champion of New South Wales, whose national handicap is 1. has entered for all the events at M iramar. He is the most formidable candidate among the Australians. Closely following him come W. Dobson and Dr. Sydney Jones, both of New South Wales, each with a national handicap of 4, The quality of these two players .may better be judged if we recall that last Easter, in a-pretty strong field at Shirley, Christchurch, Dobson won the Canterbury champion ship with 75 and 73. These three golfers ought to represent Australia very adequately, and their presence at the New Zealand championship is encouraging and gratifying. At the samo time, it is to be hoped that some New Zealand golfer will be "in at the death" in the championship. New Zealand's Hopes. Judging on the basis of national handicaps, E. M. Macfarlane, A. D. S. Duncan and Dr. K. Ross are New Zealand's first line of defence against the Australian challenge. But Macfarlane is at his best upon the Shirley links and is not usually quite so good upon 4inks that aro strange to him. Duncan has won tho championship about nine times and is still a potential champion. Further, he has lately been playing well. Of Dr. Ross we hear very little, but he is always there or thereabout. Nevertheless, we do not look only to the "old guard" to defend the Dominion in the ultimate tests of the championships. There are younger players who are good enough to play as great a role in the contest. Chief among these younger golfers is B. V. Wright, Tirnaru, whose progress it will be interesting to watch. Only a ' month ago he beat E. M. Macfarlane at Shirley in a teams match by playing really good golf, when it was called for. Wright enjoys keen golf on a good course so thoroughly that Miramar and the events there will certainly draw him out further. The present, amateur champion, T. H. Horton, may not have been showing his best form recently, but. the man who can win in one year is quite capable of -winning also a year later. Two golfers who are at home on the Miramar course and at the same time in good form, are A, E. Conway and J. H. Drake. Goss, of Wanganui, Tarelia, of Napier, Ekstedt, of Manawatu, Black, of Hutt, and Seymour and Grant, of Shirley, will all strengthen New Zealand's chances of defending the amateur title against this Australian invasion. And here I should like to repeat my conviction that the presence of several front-rank golfers from the Commonwealth will add. greatly to the keenness and the interest of the championship, as the presence of the Americans in Britain made the championships there the most important and most interesting ok, recent years. Inter-Island Rivalry. In connection with tho championship the possibility has been mentioned of a teams match between the North and South Islands. The golfers from the South Island are, of course, considerably fewer in number, but a match between teams of about six a-side should prove a close affair. - So far as the professionals are concerned Shaw and Moss seem to be playing strongly and steadily. No doubt, Macintosh, Clements and Blair expect also to have a good chance of the titlo, provided only that they do themselves justice. The recent rains will have gladdened the hearts of the members of the Miramar green committee. When I visited tli i course a week ago I was told that a certain amount of rain was the one thing needed to bring Miramar into perfect condition. The course certainly looked very attractive and in fine order. Golf's International Value. The visit of a representative group of Australian golfers reminds me of the very hearty and even jovial fellowship which took place, between the American golfers and their British hosts during the championships and the Walker Cup event. This friendliness can best be illustrated by relating what happened at Muirfield. Tho amateur championship was played there in May, and the Americans had just arrived. Muirfield is an old-established golf club house —one of the most dignified in Britain. Tho name of the club itself, "The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers," is redolent of dignity and "good form." The waiters are said to move about in carpet slippers, and to speak only in whispers. Came the Americans, unconscious of the dignity and "good form" of the old clubhouse and its associations. They told stories, sang choruses, said "gee" and "jiminy," were their glad, boyish, natural selves within the august precincts. The waiters were at first shocked; but the members seetned to respond, and then to take this breeJiv good fellowship as the most natural thing in the world. The story closes with a picture of the dignified Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers together with the irrepressible Americans celebrating the success of Jesse Sweetser and singing, all together, such wellknown American ditties as "My Honey, Hcncy." There is no doubt the' Americans ono and all were extremely popular in Britain Their visit seems to have done moTe to develop understanding and friendship than any other similar event of recent.' years. 1927 British Championships. The Championship Committee of tho Royal and Ancient Golf Club, St. Andrew's, announces that tho amateur championship of 1927 will be held on the course of tho Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake, commencing on May 23. The international match, England v. Scotland, will bo played 'on Saturday, May 21. ■ The open championship will be played on the Old Course, St.. Andrew's, in the week commencing June 21. Mac Donald Smith, New York, won the Canadian open championship at Mont rail with an aggregate of 283 for 72 holes. Sara7,en was second with 286. Smith is a native of Caroustie, • Scotland, and recently won the Now York metropolitan championship from Sara/,en, after tieing in the four rounds aggregate in the fifth and again in the sixth round.