FAULTLESS EXHIBITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19730, 1 September 1927, Page 12

FAULTLESS EXHIBITION

SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONALS. AMATEURS' HARD CONTEST. POPULAR VICTORY SCORED. [B3? telegraph.—special reporter. j HAMILTON. Wednesday. An exhibition of faultless golf was given by the New Zealand open champion, A. J. Shaw, and E. J. Moss, who returned the best aggregate score of fie day, and won the professional championship foursomes. It will be remembered that the pair tied in the fina! of the Dominion open championship event last year, Shi-w winning in the plav-off. In a crisp and consistent exhibition to-day there was hardly an error. Neither was ever in the rough. Both men drove powerfully and with beautiful direction from the tee, and it is not too much to say they were never 10yds. off the centre of the fairway. Their approaching and putting was exemplary, and Moss' holing out well nigh infallible. Expected as their win was, their most ardent admirers hardly hoped for a demonstration of such quality. M. Macßeth and fcjioau Morpeth showed just good golf going out in the morning, but settled down on the homeward journey, taking the 10th bole in 3, and just failing to take' the next two holes for the same figure. Macßetb shone with his iron shots in the afternoon, and opened his shoulders to bring off some great-distanced drives. Morpeth was off form by comparison with his exhibition earlier in the day. The win by the Hawke's Bay pair, Kapi Tareba and F. C. Fryer, in the amateur division was very popular. They finished late in the day under heavy showers to beat the score completed early in the afternoon by Macßeth and Morpeth. A large following braved the weather to see the two finish, and tense excitement reigned on the packed clubbouse verandah when the last hole was being approached with the issue still in the balance. Tareha at his best never drove more powerfully and straight, approached with greater judgment, or putted with more deadly accuracy. That detracts not a whit from Fryer's contribution, which was that of consistent golf. Fryer's long seconds through the green did not escape favourable notice. The men played and won well and popularly. It is the impression of many that the stroke foursome will be given an impetus by the contests st has provided at the opening stage of the New Zealand championship. Moss and Shaw and some of the otber pairs have shown what is possible under this form of golf competition, as vet better known in Australia than in New Zealand. This evening ram continues to fall steadily, but confidence in the wonderful percolating qualities of the links conduces to the view that practice games will be permitted to-morrow, a free day devoted in the main to the final preparation of the course for the start of the open championship of the Dominion. • PROGRAMME OF TOXJENEY. NO COMPETITIONS FOR TO-DAY. [*EY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] HAMILTON, Wednesday. A. E. Ekstedt, the Manawatu champion, is still the only withdrawal from the 74 entrants for the open golf championship. They include 19 professionals. T. M. Horton will replace Ekstedt in the draw for the open championship on Friday, playing with F. Branch. On the second day Horton and Hutchison vrill be associated. To facilitate final, preparation of the course there will be no championship play upon it to-morrow. At 8.30 a.m. on Friday the first ball in the first round ol the open championship will be driven and the first two rounds will be concluded that day. Upon the termination of the fourth round on Saturday afternoon it will be known whether A. J. Shaw, professional of the Naoicr Club, has successfully defended his*title of New Zealand open champion. On Monday morning the 32 amateurs and eight professionals who qualify by their play iu the open event for the amateur and professional championships will play the first rounds. The professional semi-final will be decided on Tuesday and the final on Fiiday. Amateurs will conclude their third round on Wednesday, fight out the semi-final on Friday and the final on Saturday, September 10. Interspersed with the championship events are professionals' and amateurs' handicap matches, while the interest of those not surviving in the major contests will be sustained by bogey, stroke and foursome handicaps and a driving competition.