BRITISH GOLF VICTORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20241, 29 April 1929, Page 10

BRITISH GOLF VICTORY.

Success for the British team in the annual match for the Ryder Cup, competed for by British and American professional golfers, will be greeted with great satisfaction. The tale of American predominance in both amateur and professional fields had continued so long that real despondency was beginning to creep into the British outlook. It was coming to be asked whether the British Isles, which gave golf to the world, were to be permanently relegated to second place. For a time there was the consoling thought that sineo so many of the most brilliant British professionals were attracted to the United States by the lure of wider opportunities, Britain was being beaten by players she herself had bred. This has not been true of late, and the triumph of American-born golfers has eliminated even that excuse. The winning of the Ryder Cup will have a tonic effect. The margin of victory, though not crushing, was decisive. A feature was the thoroughness with which the issue was settled in most of the games. The outstanding instance was the defeat of Ilagen, leader of the American team, who was beaten by Duncan, 10 up and 8 to play. Considering Hagen's reputation, especially as a match player famous for his fighting finishes, this was the feature of the whole event. But apart from the golfing aspect of the match there is in the result cause for satisfaction to those who do not normally follow the fortunes of this particular game. It is another proof that Britain is recovering from the lean time suffered, in the athletic sense, for years past. Coming after the triumphant experience of the cricketers who performed so brilliantly in Australia recently, it will add strength to the case against that cry of national decadence, physically and in every other way, that was far too loudly heard not long ago. Defeats suffered in sporting events were the chief basis for the jeremiad. While it is easy to say too much was being made of such things, the effect of the cry, reiterated continually, was not good. It is no bad thing, therefore, that there should be a corrective to the attitude of pessimism, and the result of the Ryder Cup match will be useful in helping to produce a sounder point of view.