REMARKABLE GOLF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20084, 23 October 1928, Page 12

REMARKABLE GOLF.

C. WIGHT MAKES HISTORY.

RECORD SCORE AT DUNEDIN

BLACK'S WONDERFUL VICTORY

ry fairway. When C. Wight, Otago, broke the Balmacewan course record with a phenomenal 67, two strokes below tho uttermost pal, he was playing a match in tho amatcin championship. In the previous round, he had defeated Sloan Morpeth, and now, in the third round, he had reached the peak of tho whole fortnight's golf. His unfortunate opponent was J. Black, of Wellington, who bad the cruel experience of being 6 down at tho ninth after going out in 30. It is hard for those who have not had a similar experience to realise how nerve-shaking it is to be overwhelmed with par-beating figures like those put up by Wight: 4, 4, 3, 2, 3, 4, 3 ( 4—--31 1 for the. nine, holes. Four birdies and five pars in nine holes! No golfer could have stood up to the storm more gallantly than Black. He did not weaken, but went on playing good, steady golf, although the attack upon him continued in the second half round as well, which Wight did in 36- Black again took 38, finishing bis round in 76. At tho eighteenth hole, when Wight finished his great 67, the crowd, keenly excited and glad to have witnessed, the making of that fine score, 'surged round the hero, showed him their appreciation, cheered and clapped him. Black was quite, forgotten—ho was nine down. Achievement Discussed. Came tho lunch hour. Everybody talked of tho 67, admired it, discussed the. achievement or it. A wonderful round, truly, and a great golfing achievement. Tho crowd streamed out over t'no course as Wight and Black went to the first holo to commence their afternoon round. The first holo was halved in 5 against the gentle wind. Black got bis par 4 at the second and won the hole, ihe third was halved in <i poor 5 Black won tho fourth in a par 3 Black had courage even in the morn ing, but the sound of "seven down" gave him more. Wight had lost two holes in the first four. Ho seemed to be playing cautiously, and for halves. A dangerous mood to fall into, surely 1 Tho fifth was a half. Wight got a birdie 3 at tho sixth, and his inoruiAg inspiration showed itself once moro Black responded with a birdie 3 at tho longer seventh hole. The morning mantle of Wight had fallen on Black. With a. par 4 at the eighth lie won another hole, halved the ninth, and was now only 6 down. Gone was the leisurely saunter of the crowd. Wight had lost three holes of his lead. Tho onlookers gripped and nudged each other as they stood round the tenth green, keenly excited, tense oven. They dared not speak while the putting was going on. Black holed a great 2 (here. Another hole won back. Only 5 down. ICeeness of Spectators. Wight got a half in 5 at the 600 yds. long Tipperary hole. Black holed a fine A at tho twelfth, and won it. Both reached the low edge of the thirteenth green on the ridge in 3. Wight was 3ft. above the hole in 4. Black 18in. below in 4. Tho crowd held its breath and did not oven whisper. Wight putted—missed by a liairsbreadth the short, difficult putt. Black made no mistake villi his short one, and was only 3 down. Tho spectators descended from the ridges, and gathered round the fourteenth green, for tbe tensest moments wer® experienced when the two were putting. Tho fourteenth tee was 238vds. away. Black's tee shot pitched hard on the green and ran through into easy grass. Wight plaved and hooked it info the flax in the hazard by the green. The ball rested three feet above the ground. Ho picked up out of tho hazard, incurred a penalty stroke, played a beautiful high pitch over hazard and small trees to the pin, and the ball rested 12Ft. away from the cup. Black had 2 for the bole. He surveyed (ho ground, tho line, addressed the ball, played. Involuntary " Ohs" from some spectators! Ho had holed it! Two down and four to play! They faced their putts on tho fifteenth green. Wight putted up lo tho holo and slaved 2?, ft. short on (he same side of the holo as Black was, in two. Tho latter was faced with the danger of giving himself a stymie if his rup-up putt was short of Wight's ball, for (hat ball would (hen block his way lo the hole. So be made sure of being up. The crowd drew its breafh audibly, for the ball ran Bft. past the hole. Bin ok had lo pult again. He missed (be holo and lay at (be side, leaving Wight with (his 2.lft. putt for a half. In dead silence (lie In((cr played, but failed. Black one down. Match All Square. By (his time wo who looked on could only smile at one another and huld our peace. There were no words. They played tho sixteenth. Wight's second was quite good, and lie was holding on (o his gatno vory pluckily under (he greatest strain a man can experience iu golf —the strain of having a commanding lead reduced holo by hole. Black played a perfect second off a, bare patch on the hillside, lie hit tho ball clean and crisply right up to tho green. This was tho shot that finally squared (lie match, a masterly stroke. Four feet from the pin. A birdie 3. Match all square! The seventeenth holo is 270 yds. away on tho top of a rise. Good drives; adequate chip shots; threes just missed; a half in 4. The eighteenth, 300vds, saw Wight play a lino second with his spoon. "It's on (lie green." whispered the crowd, lie was safely (here anyway. Black then ployed his spoon. Another gallant shot, nearer the pin than Wight. By this time the players were like automatons in (ho longer shols. They could not speak, they could only feel, and plav without a word. On (he greens the delicate putts and (ho possibility of error which faced (hem were altnosf. unnerving. Wight, went Ofl. past with his run-up putt; Black's was stono dead, Iff. away. Wight holed his most gallantly, and get a hard half. All square at the thirty-sixth. Wonderful Gamo Concluded.

Out- to the thirty-seventh, 420 yds. away. Good seconds alter good drives put tliein on the edge of the green, 20yds. from the cup, Black being six inches nearer. The crowd had increased, and surrounded the large green. Never a crowd behaved bettor. Not. a whisper, wliilo the tension and excitement wero exhausting even to the onlookers; unspeakable to the players. Carefully Wight played (ho odd. A great, run up, it. looked like going in, but. it went past about 6ft. Black's turn; ho addressed the ball; took time; everything depended on this t-wenty-yurder. He knew this was just one more crisis calling for the perfect shot, lie swung his putter and scut- forth the perfect shot, to that hole. The ball rested one foot from the hole. Stone dead!

Wight was faced with a 6ft. putt to save the match, and (o avoid defeat. He gave it a chance, played it sweetly, and nevei wavered. The hall came along, touched the edge of the hole, swung to ward the cup, and stayed nul. "He inis'ipd nobody said it, but, one could almost hear it run through the mind of Ihe crowd. Black cavefnllv holed bis putt of 12m.. to win at the thirty-seventh hole by 3 up, (lie greatest match that any golfer there had ever witnessed. A wonderful game, which words cannot .describe. Black's afternoon round was 72. He did the second half in 3*l and won back six holes in that half alone. This match is a record ill championship golf.