HONOURS EVEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21769, 7 April 1934, Page 12

HONOURS EVEN

KIRK-WINDEYER CUP FOURSOMES MATCHES PLAYED HORTON AND WRIGHT WIN CHANGE IN DOMINION TEAM With one success to each of the New Zealand and New South Wales teams, honours were even at the end of the first day's plav yesterday in the font est for the Kirk-Winde.ver Cup. T. H. Horton and 13. V. Wright, New Zealand, defeated W. R. Dobson and P. F- Hughes, New South Wales, 1 up, while C. C. Ruwald and H. M. Cutler. New South Wales, defeated B. M. Silk and J. P. Hornabrook, New Zealand, 2 up".

The weather was beautifully fine and warm and there was a large attendance of the public, more particularly iji she -afternoon. The majority of spectators followed the No. 1 match in the morning, but the gallery was more evenly divided after lunch. E. L. Apperly, the New South Wales captain, stood down yesterday, but he Mill participate. in the singles to-day. The course was a little faster than it had been when the players prac-tised-upon it earlier in the week, and all eight failed at times to gauge the changed conditions. Under such circumstances there is little room for doubt that one or moro players from the Auckland Club, with their local knowledge of the Middlemore course, would have bfen a tower of strength to the ""New Zealand team. This fact has been recognised bv the selectors of the home team, as B. I~f. Menzies has been rhosen in place of Silk for to-day's jingles. Above Scratch Figures Almost without exception the standard of play was disappointing. This is revealed by the figures, as the average of the rounds was about 80, or seven strokes worse than the scratch score for the course —a true indication of the golf played.

The chief weakness of the New Zealand teams was their putting, and the lack of confidence which the pairs appeared to have in each other. Both Horton and Wright putted lamentably at times, for which little excuse could be found, seeing that the greens were in such perfect condition. Silk and Honiabrook were not a happy combination, playing throughout with little cohesion. Both made far too many mistakes at critical times for participants in a test match. This was particularly tho case at the 15th hole in the afternoon, when Silk displayed very bad judgment, and it can truly be said that the result of the match hinged on the playing of this hole. Wright drove well throughout, but he was indecisive on the greens. Horton was not up to his usual standard, developing a dangerous hook with his tee shots, which at times gave his partner a difficult line to Ihe hole.

Dobson quite unaccountably failed in his greatest strength—high shots to the green—cutting them into the waiting bunkers on four or five occasions. Hughes was very shaky at the start and it was only toward the end of the 'first round and later in the afternoon that lie really settled down to give a glimpse of his capabilities. Weakness on Greens Silk's long game was most unreliable, many of his drives and second shots being badly hit, but he made amends several times by "sinking useful putts, the one at the 13th of fully 30 feet, being a brilliant effort. Hornubrook drove fairly well, and made some good recoveries from bad shots by his partner, but he was weak on tho greeiis.

The quality of the golf played by both Ruwald and Cutler scarcely deserved the result obtained. Too many drives Were pulled and the hazards were encountered much too frequently, but, fortunately for the pair, their opponents were unable to take advantage of these mistakes. However, the finishing effort of the Australians cannot be overlooked, a.s they won two of the last three holes and halved the final one.

The fact that each, side had won one match, with the visitors leading by the narrow margin of one hole in the event of a final tie, lends greater interest to the singles matches, which will be decided to-day. Judging by yesterday's attendance there is every likelihood of a record crowd for an Auckland golf match being present today. (The Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, will be among the spectators and he will present the Kirk-Winde.ver Cup to the winning team at the conclusion of play. Air. E. B. Brown, captain of the Auckland Golf Club, umpired the match between Horton and AVright and Dobson and Hughes, while Mr. W. B. Colbeck had charge of tho second contest.

CHANGES IN TEAMS INCLUSION OF MENZIES APPERLY REPLACES CUTLER With the exception of the first two players changes have been made in both teams for the singles matches to-day. "Apperly, tho New South Wales captain, replaces Cutler, and will play in third position, in opposition to Horftabrook. Menzies comes into the NewZealand team in fourth place and he will meet Ruwald. The inclusion of the Auckland Club member will be popular with local followers of the game, and his contest with Ruwald is certain to command a large following. Menzies and Ruwald will leave the first tee.at 9.45 a.m. and the order of play of the other pairs will be ns follows: —Hornabrook v. Apperly, Wright v. Hughes, Horton v. Dobson.