COMMENTS ON CONTESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19858, 31 January 1928, Page 11

COMMENTS ON CONTESTS.

TWO OUTSTANDING PLAYERS. DR. LEE BROWN AND DR. ROSS. DOMINION CHAMPION DEFEATED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT, j WELLINGTON, Monday. The eagerly-expected golf match between New South Wales and New Zealand for the Kirk-Windeyer "Cup was played to-day at Miramar, Wellington, and the contest resulted in a win for the Australian team, although on points each team had the same score, 3 points, or 3 matches each. The number of holes up or down at the end of each match was counted and by this reckoning Now South, Wales had. 10 holes, while New Zealand had 6. So the Australians won the cup on New Zealand ground, and this is certainly in the interest of the annual match. There were two heroes of to-day's play, Dr. Lee Brown (Sydney) and Dr. Eer, Ross (Dunedin). Lee Brown has been wandering about disconsolately on the course for several days tryiig to strike form. In the open tournament last week hs made no return, but he was gradually getting worked up and the big event today keyed him right to concert pitch. In the foursomes in the morning against Horton and Grant it was Lee Brown's putting that gave the Sydney couple their lead of 3 holes. Repeatedly he holed putts of 4yds. and syds. and never looked like missing them. Lee Urown Recovers Form. In tho single against Sloan Morpeth in the afternoon Lee Brown had his inspiration smoothly working and he played par golf against the New Zealand champion, finishing 6up on him. "I knew he might do it," said one or two who had seen Lee Brown play before, and it was because he "might do it" that he was put on as final man against Sloan Morpeth. Here are Lee Brown's figures for the afternoon round:— Ont: 4 4 5 3 4 2 3 5 4—34. 1n:44353445 5-37. Morpeth played good golf, his figures being: — Out: 54445334 4—36. In: 45453545 5—40. The seventh hole is the formidable Hillside. These two halved it in 3 to-day. Dr. Ross, however, wonld have held Lee Brown this afternoon. His figures were:— Out: 4 4 5 3 4 2 4 4 5—35. In :4 4 3 5 3 4 3 5 6—37. Two Easy Putts Missed. That fine score includes a yard putt missed at the 13th and a similar orie at the 18th. Moreover, he dropped one stroke (distance only) by putting a ball out of bounds at the 18th. Dr. Nigel Smith was only a few strokes behind him and finished 4 holes down —a great straggle it was to keep abreast of that 72. The other two singles were more ordinary, so far as golf is concerned. Horton reached the turn 1 down, but continued to battle hard against W. R. Smith (Sydney), who had beaten him last week in the tournament. ' The match was square at the ,11th and again at the 14th. The New Zealander then won the 15th in a par 4 and the 17th iir a difficult par 4 after a beautiful iron shot to the grean with his third. This gave Horton the match by 2 and 1, and Smith won the last hole, so Horton brought in 1 point and 1 hole for the New Zealand team. Dobson and Grant had a keen struggle, in which driving was the finest feature. Their golf was on the Horton-Smith standard, but rot so good as that of the other two matches. Grant began by putting unsteadily, finding patches of clover, as usual, somewhat disconcerting, but he pulled himself together and made a great fight, At the 11th he was 4 down to Dobson, who laid him 2 stymies ill iii'i/at part of the match and a third fityraie later. Grant Narrowly Beaten. Grant won the 13th and 14th in par figures, halved the 15th and won Aha 16th with a "birdie" 3. That made him 1 down and 2to go. He failed by inches with a. 10ft. putt for a win at the I7tb and lost- the 18th, which left Dobscti 2 up after, a hard tussle. The singles in the afternoon were more exciting than the foursomes in the morning, but the latter were well contested. Dr. Nigel Smith was driving well, partnered with W. R. Smith against the New Zealand first pair, but both pairs made slight slips and missed opportunities They were all square at the turn, each isouple being out in 38. In the second half the game was square at the 17th tec. At that long hole W. R. Smith played a great iron shot, which unluckily got kicked into a bunker. Nigel Smith played an explosion »hot to within sft. oi' the pin and then Morpeth holed a 20-foofc putt for a "birdie" 3 and a win. The last hole was halved and New Zealand finished 1 up. The scores for the round were Australia, 76; New Zealand, 75, First-class Putting. Horton and Gn.nt were round in 75, against Lee Brown and W. R. Dobson, but the breaks, such as they were, vere in favour of the Sydney players, Dr. Lee Brown, having found his touch with his putter, holed 6 putts of 4yds. ©if over. At one stage Horton and Graft, were four down. The two Sydney golfers did 8 holes from the 4th to the l!:;'th, inclusive, in four below fours. Thoir figures for those 8 holes were—--433444334 4. This was two better than par. Horton pitched a dead stymie on tho 14th green. He and Grant were round in 75, the same score as that of Dobson and Lee Brown, who finished 3 tip on them. t Tho visiting Warn was warmly congratulated on its win.' Since good golf was tho order of the day, there are no regrets. Ai' the dinner this evening the cup was presented ofnically to the visiting team, captain, Di. Sydney Jones, is naiurally highly delighted at the fine performances of his men.