SHAW'S STRONG FINISH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21333, 7 November 1932, Page 10

SHAW'S STRONG FINISH

ACHIEVEMENT OF DUNCAN MOSS BAFFLED EY WIND RUTTER MAKES COSTLY ERROR BY ,T. L. BLACK WELLINGTON, Sunday Tho third and fourth rounds of tho open golf championship were played at Heretaunga yesterday under wretched climatic conditions, a high northerly at times approaching gale force and, being accompanied by drenching rain, it made conditions for both players and onlookers very unpleasant. A. J. Shaw is again open champion. lie is so by virtue of his two great finishing rounds under atrocious weather conditions rather than by his first day's play. Fine though it was, always has Shaw given illustrations galore of the fact that he is a great golfer. To-day ho was hitting a long ball from tho tee, and, if it was not always truly on the fairway, he only once got into trouble that ho rould not get out of by going for his shot with confidence. It was thought in many quarters that, being hotly pressed, the strain of tho fourth round would result in his scoro going up appreciably. If ho felt any strain ho successfully hid tho fact and played along regardless of what hung on precarious shots into cross winds. Only once did ho falter, and that was on tho 16th tee in the afternoon when victory seemed assured. His first tee shot was badly sliced and appeared to go out of bounds into the river. Playing his second from the too ho again sliced right into the river and was about to play his third ball from tho tee when it was signalled that his first ball was lying in long grass ono foot from the river, which enabled him to securo a bogey four! Largo Gallery lor Duncan Ono of tho greatest achievements was that of tho veteran Arthur Duncan. His performance, although on his homo course, should give food for thought, and his form has, caused much pleasuro among golfers and spectators. Evidence of this was the largo gallery which followed his play. The ; weather conditions were all against him. He played his customary clean game from i teo to green, but it was on tho greens j where ho lost his chance and many a I sigh was heard from his sympathetic gallery when ho repeatedly missed short ones. E. S. Douglas produced beautiful golf in his morning round, playing freely and easily, and he was not afraid to go for his shot. Starting from the first too in the final round ho knew that Shaw had covered his first nine holes of tho final round in 33, and, in endeavouring to hole long putts, ho often failed with tho returns. Tragedies for Aucklanders Tho morning rounds proved tragedies for the Aucklanders, Moss and Rutter. The gusty wind completely baffled Moss. At tho first hole he was through the green with a mashio and, approaching short, he required a five, ono over bogey. A par four was carded at the second and the short third gave indications of how the wind affected high shots. A perfect No. 4 iror: landed five yards short of the green just as a terrific gust of wind blew and carried his ball clean over the green on the first bounce and found the long grass under the trees. However, a four was recorded and, playing soundly, Moss finished tho 13th hole in four over fours and with two three bogeys to | follow he still had a chance of keeping | with the leaders. But, as with Douglas | the first day, the 14th and 15th holes, J both bogey threes, cost him eleven strokes | and some disappointed Aucklanders finally saw a 9in. putt missed»on the 15th hole, a six being recorded. However, Moss produced a great round of 70 in the afternoon, which won for him the Jellicoe £up for the best individual round in tho open. Starting with a birdie three, ho played soundly to reach tho turn in 35, recording threes at the 14th, 15th and 16th. This left him with two par fours for a 69. A badly topped iron from tho rough at tho 17th only went ten yards, and a safe five was then played for. Finding the green with his inashie second at the home hole Moss made a valiant attempt to sink a 20-footei which just rimmed the hole and stayed out. Rutter Picks Up Ball

Starting late, Rutter struck the full force of the wind and rain at the very exacting first nine holes. Playing a great long game, but putting very poorly, he played _a_ poor tee shot at the ninth into the driving wind and rain. A good approach gave him a chance for a three, but, after having three more putts, he hit his ball with the back of his putter off the green into the rough and picked up, forgetting for the moment that the qualifying for the professional championship depended on the best 16 scores of the professionals in the open. It was very hard luck indeed, as ho was certain to qualify and, given calm weather, might have repeated his win of 1930 at Palmerston North.

Shaw's final round was a masterpiece. Playing alongside Collins, they were the fifth pair off and a.t two o'clock, when he reached the turn, his first nine holes of 33 were received at the clubhouse by wireless from the tenth tee, and all the spectators arriving went to see him finish off a great round. The first hole was played in a safe four, and at the long second a number three iron nestled 6ft. from the pin. Hitting his putt boldly a birdie three was made. A beautiful mashie at the third finished 20ft. from the pin, and again down went the putt for a two. This was surely a great start far the final round.

Great Recovery Being short with his approach putt at the fourth cost him a five. At the fifth he sliced his iron shot into the rough, but a good approach and putt gave him a three. A pulled second at the sixth found a bunker, but a great recovery enabled him to get a four. At the seventh an 18-foot putt hit the hole for three and stayed out. The long eight was safely played "for a five. A good approach from the rough at the ninth, where he sliced, gave him •a 12-foot putt for a three, which just fell into the hole. Playing safely he secured fours at the 10th", 11th arid 12th, but, being short with his approach putts at the next two holes, a five and a four were recorded. Securing a bogey three at the difficult 15th, he looked certain to Iweak 70, but once again these last three holes spoilt a good card, poor putting on the final two holes costing him fives, and ho finished in 71.

Brian _ Silk and Harold Black, who rushed into an early lead the previous day, found the conditions very difficult and, true to golf tradition, faded away to some extent in the next round. "Silk started his morning round very patchily, and did not card a three until the 14th hole. Black was never going well and, finishing his morning round with two sixes, put himself out of the running. Siine put up a great third round. Starting with a six and five he reached the turn in 38, and it was the real "one putt Sime" who turned on the fireworks to return in 33. which included threes at the 10th, 14th, 15th and 17th. Millard, the Christchurch amateur, who showed up well at Shirley last year, tied for fifth place with Sime. He produced four very steady rounds and, as he is a great putter, he is the likely one to cause some surprises in the amateur championship. Basil Smith, jun , fell away in the third round, but his fourth round 76 was good, as he required three shots in a hunker at the 13th to record a seven. At the 16th his drive went out of bounds and, after a good approach, he missed an easy yard putt for a four. This was compensated for by a great two at the ninth, where his tee shot finished inches from the hole.

Playing the tenth hole of 324vds. down the wind, A. E. Eckstedt drove the green. This green is t ho. best bunkered on the course, with a narrow entrance of about 12yds.