PROVINCIAL GOLF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21468, 17 April 1933, Page 11

PROVINCIAL GOLF

OPEN CHAMPION TITLE QUALIFYING ROUNDS PLAYED GOOD SCORES RETURNED R. D. WRIGHT REGAINS FORM The qualifying rounds of the Auckland provincial golf championship were played over 06 holes at Middlemore on Saturday. The first 16 to qualify will meet in the championship, while the second 16 will plav off for the Auck- f land provincial handicap under match play conditions. A prize was given for the best gross score and also for tha best net score. The course was in splendid order and reflected great credit on the management, the ingenious placing of the flags on the greens so as to put a premium' on correct approaching in the heavy, wind being a feature. The scoring under the circumstances was generally sound as any shot hit even slightly off tha line was badly punished and recoveries were almost impossible to execute. The honours of the day fell to R.< D. Wright, who, besides winning tha Easter scratch medal, after a play-off with B. H. Menzies, won the net medal.- -- Wright annexed the provincial title in' 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1926, but during the last few years his plav has been very disappointing, a bad hook developing in his iron play. However/on this occasion he made few mistakes, thei only serious one being a seven at tha 16th in his morning round of 81, whila his 74 of the afternoon was a masterly exhibition under the testing conditions.; Putting of Menzies Menzies played his usual smooth game all day with nothing more than a five on his cards, his putting being a feature, but strangely enough in the play-offi with Wright over eight holes his green work was his undoing. In this event he began brilliantly with 4, 4, 4, to become two better than Wright, but a' bad shot to the 4th found the bunker and after failing to recover at the first attempt he. finally took three putts for seven, Wright holing out in four. Both took three putts at the sth after perfect seconds and Menzies again required three putts on the 6th where Wright got a four to lead by two strokes. Playing the next two holes faultlessly Wright gave his opponent no chance of a recovery. B. M. Silk played soundly for two 78's, giving ample evidence that with a little more experience of the course he will be the hardest to beat in the championship. H. D. Brinsden, the titleholder, did an 80 in the morning which included an inglorious seven at the. .< short tenth, and bad putting cost him 81 in the afternoon. The automatic draw; a has so worked out that Silk, Smith,Brinsden and Menzies, who are the most fancied candidates are together in the bottom half, but as only four of the 16 to qualify are rated over a three handicap the issue is extremely open., The meeting of Smith and Brmsderf should provide fine golf as should taf, Silk-Haworth match. Qualifying Players The following qualified for the chana* pionship: — R. D. Wright, 81, 74 — >fB. H. Menzies, 76, 79 —155. B. M. Silk, 78, 78—156. ■ W. N. Abbott, 80, 77—157. B. J. Smith, 80, 78 —158. R. R. McCrystal, 76, 82—153, H. T. Buckley, 79, 79 —158. I. MacEwen, 82, 77 —159. - H. B. Lusk, 83, 77 —160. H. D. Brinsden, 80, 81—161. W. B. Eustace, 82, 79—161. W. S. Ralph, 80, 82—162. R. D. Horton, 79, 84—163. V. B. Hawarth, 83, 81 —164. J. H. Young, 83, 81—164. R. Edmonds, 87, 77 —164. The draw for the first round of the> championship is:—Wright v. Edmonds,, MacEwan v. Lusk, Abbott v. Horton,McCrystal v. Ralph, Buckley, v. Eustace, Silk v. Haworth, Smfth y. Brinsden, Young v. Menzies. The following qualified in the provincial handicap:—E. L. Bartleet, 86,79—165; T. Goudie, 87, 81—168; C. N.:, Jacobsen, 86, 82 —16S; H. Plumley, 86, 84 —17®; E." G. Tallis, 88.; 82—170;' N. Louisson, 85, 87—172; T. E. Clark, 85, 87—172; J. M. Hussev, 90, 83 —173; F. Hazelden- 87,. 86 —173; A.' L. MoLean, 83, 90 —173; E. E. Beehan, 84, 90—174; W. B. Colbeck, 87, 87—174.; G. Coltman, 88, 86—174; H. Tidmarsh, 91, 83—174; J. K. liiisk, S6, 88 —l/ 4 A. J. Good, 86, 88—174. The draw faj&the first round of the provincial harraicap is:—Bartleet Good, Hazelden v. Hussev, Tallis Coltman, Plumley v. Colbeck, Clark v.-, Beehan, Jacobsen v. Tidrriarsh, Louisson v. McLean, Lusk v. Goudie. The Easter scratch medal was "won' by R. D. Wright, 81, 74—155. The net 36-hole medal was also won by R. D. 'Wright, 155, 8 —147, W. N. Abbott being second with 157, 8 —149. Programn/e for To-day « The first rounds of thd championship a"nd provincial handicap? will be played to-day. A bogey handicap will be played in the morning and a medal handicap in the afternoon those not competing in the match play,Following are the starting times:--* 8.30 a.m., W. Wilson and C. Herrold;] 8.34, R. G. Sellar and E. B. Gunson;! 8.38, C. E. Ho\Vden and A. M. Howden; 8.42, C. G. Fisher and G. A. Fern guson; 8.46, T. R. Bloomfield and Ah Sandel; 8.50, C. McManiis and W. F. : Greenbank: 8.54, W. A. Donald and P. C. Savage; 8.58, A. Boddington and E. B. Brown. 9.4 a.m.—R. D. Wright and R. Ed* monds; 9.8, I. MacEwan and H. 8,,Lusk; 9.12, W. N. Abbott and R. D., Horton: 9.16, R. R. McCrystal and W< S. Ralph; 9.20, H. F. Buckley and W„ B. Eustace; 9.24, B. M. Silk and V.B. Haworth; 9.28, B. J. Smith and H. D. Brinsden; 9.32, J. H. Young and B. H. Menzies; 9.36, E. L. Bartleet and A. ,T. Good; 9.40, F. Hazelden and ,J. M. Hussev; 9.44, E. G. Tallis and G. Coltman; 9.48, H. Plumley and W« B. Colbeck; 9.52, T. E. Clark and. E.: E. Beehan; 9.56, C. N. Jacobsen and H. Tidmarsh. 10 a.m. —X. Louisson and A. L. McLean; 10.4. J. K. Lusk and T. Goudie;' 10.8, C. G. Johnson, R. O. Gardner and J. PI. Earle; 10.12, L. B. Campbell, V. E. Masters and C. M. Gordon; 10.16, R. B. Wilson, A. H. Magson and F. W. Lucas; 10.20, J. F. Brown, J. * B. Lusk and J. Gilmour; 10.24. A. B. Joplin, D. A. Burt and L. Knight; 10.28, N. R. Chapman, B. S. Finn and B. C. Jacobs; 10.32, R. Martin, G. M. White and A. H. O'Learv; 10.36, R. .1. King, R. J. Graham and A. Shorter;' 10.40, A. H. Kirker, W. B. Lusk and W. T. Surman; 10.44. F. S. Ballin, E. Harper and F. C. Ewen; 10.48, H.j Henderson, E. A. Tuke and A. C,Taine; 10.52, H. R. Kirker and J. M.Stokes; H. Gilfillan and A. B. Thornson.