AMATEUR LEADER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21617, 9 October 1933, Page 10

AMATEUR LEADER

POSITION OF MENZIES CONDITIONS SUIT BLAIR POOR PUTTING BY SHAW SILK'S INDIFFERENT CARD BY J. L. BLACK Some exceedingly interesting if not good golf was witnessed in the second round of the open championship. A fresh northerly breeze altered tho course completely, and, as many of the visiting players had not played under those conditions, their scores suffered accordingly. This is tho first time sinco 1922 that an amateur has led the field after the completion of two rounds. On tho former occasion the writer led the field by four strokes and was beaten in tho final two rounds by Arthur Brooks bv one stroke. By completing his second round in 78, Menzies holds his lead, but as he is closely followed by four professionals his play to-day in the two final rounds will bo watched with great interest. Tho tit-bit of Saturday's play was the grand round of 72 by Blair. The fast course suited Blair nicely, as ho plays all his shots very soundly, with great control, but he lacks that extra bit of length which is necessary when conditions arc heavy. Blair started very scratchily with a four and two fives. Ho put his too shot 10ft. from the pin at tho fourth, but sank the putt for a two. After being bunkered at the fifth and sixth holes, lie recorded fives at both, reaching the turn in 37.

He commenced the inward journey by recording an eagle three at tho tenth. Another three at tho 11th left him facing tho treacherous 12th and 13tli holes in ono under fours. Playing two grand woods up the long 12th, he found tho short edge of the green, and, chipping dead, he recorded a birdie four. The famous Wrecker was successfully negotiated with two good woods, but it was on the green that Blair made his only mistake. Chipping to within 18in. of the hole, he missed the putt to record a bogov five. Fours at tho last four holes saw him do the return trip in 35. Mcintosh's Round Mcintosh reached the turn in level fours and commenced the inward journey with two threes, but by loose long play he was lucky to card a five at the 12th hole. Threo putts on tho Wrecker cost him a six. Safely negotiating the following three holes in 3, 4, 4, \o stood on the 17th tee requiring two fours to finish in 72, ahead of Blair, but poor putting saw him record two fives for a total of 74. Naturally, a big gallery followed Shaw and expected to see him turn on some fireworks, but they wore disappointed. Playing very soundly, he reached tho turn in 36, but it was on the inward journey where ho failed badly. Troublo commenced early, as at tho tenth his too shot lay underneath a tree. Chipping clear, ho pushed his third mashie out into the bunkers on the right of the green, and the first six he had recorded went down on his card. He overcame the 12th and 13th holes in sound figures, but the 15th— Temptation—saw him essay a long carry, his ball just falling short and rolling back into the gully. Playing his third shot from the tee he could not better a six, and poor putting on the last tee cost him five. He eventually carded 42 for the inward journey, which is Shaw's worst nine holes in championship play for many years. Silk in Trouble

Silk was in trouble right from tho first tee. Topping his tee shot at tho first hole into an unplayable lie, ho played his third from tho tee, and recorded a seven. Continuing with little confidence from then on, ho took 43 to reach tho turn. He started the inward journey with a four and a three, but thereafter fives and sixes again crept into his card. Ho finally took four putts on the 18th green, to record his worst wore for many years.

Hornabrook played soundly over the first nine holes to reach tho turn in 39, but sixes and sevens crept into his homeward run, which took him 43.

Brinsdcn was one of the late starters and, although not playing his long game well, lie was very deadly on the greens. .Requiring only one putt on five out'of the first nine holes, he reached the turn in 37. Commencing the homeward journey with 5, 3, 5, he needed par figures to lead the field, but, as in the case of other players, the Wrecker cost him a seven, and, missing a putt on the 14th, saw him finish the homeward journey in 42, for a total of 79. Browne Impresses

Ross was going well until he reached the seventh hole, bogey 3. Failure to get out of the bunker with throe shots saw him finally card a sovon.

Browne, the youthful North Shore player, greatly impressed as being a beautiful shot maker. Playing very soundly, he completed tho second round in 78, and he is sure to trouble somo of the favourite division in the amateur championship beforo being disposed of. It would occasion little surprise to see an improvement in the scores of J. H. Young in the final two rounds of tho open championship. Playing sound golf, ho has failed to produce good cards by over-eagerness at tho last few holes of each round. Many good judges of local players are of tho opinion that this youth will finish near the top of the amateurs.

Two players ivho were thought to have good chances of finishing well up in the open, Ralph and A. D. S. Duncan, were paired together for iho second round, and a small interested gallery followed their play. Duncan started with three fours, but slipped a stroke at the .tricky short fourth. At the short seventh hole, after much delay on the part of Ralph, both players carded. fivps,'.t.\vo over, bogey.' With fives at tho ninth, their scores were in the forties. 'Both players continued steadily for the homeward journey, Ralph being fortunate at tho 18th to find his ball in a playable position a few feet frbm the boundary fence. I?nlph completed the round-in 80 to Duncah's 80! " ■ • 1 ' '

Bartleet played a brilliant outward journey of but be failed hopelessly on the way back, as nothing deemed to go right for him.. Carding v three sixes and six fives, he completed the round in 84, Which enabled him to just take his place in the final play-off of tho open chfunpionship.