TRICKY GREENS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21925, 8 October 1934, Page 11

TRICKY GREENS

LIKELY OPEN WIN NEB SEVERAL WITH CHANCES STRUGGLING AMONG AMATEURS BLEDISLOE CUP PROSPECTS [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WANGANUI, Sunday The second round of the open championship was played under perfect weather conditions, the drying wind of tile fiist da\ having dropped. The greens again proved very tricky, but in'most respects they were slower. After the day's play Shaw has singled himself out from the field and, as he is playing soundly, he looks the winner, but never before in the history of the open have such a number of players had chances of finishing; in the places of honour, and some interesting play will be seen in the final two rounds to-morrow. Shaw's second round of 71 was the result of some excellent long irons to the green which left him within putting distance, but on the other hand a very slight mistake in direction cost him dearly. For instance, ho had a long wait on the last tee, as the players in fiont had lost their ball and, requiring a four to break 70, was naturally very much on his toes. A quick hook with j his driver was only a forerunner of the | tioubles that awaited his next few j shots. I Lying v.?ry heavily in the rough, he ! managed to get well out, only to trickle ; '»to the green bunker and, in endeavj curing to pitch out dead, fell short of ; the lip in a worse place in tho bunker. Coming out too strongly, he required i two putts, and was a very disgusted I man as he wended his way up the slojies | to the clubhouse. However, all things i considered, it was a great round, with ! the fortunes of luck fluctuating both | ways, Shaw's Errors j In reaching the sixth hole in two over | threes he looked like creating record I figures for the outward nine holes, but in endeavouring to hole a seven-footer for another three at the seventh he over-ran the hole and missed the return putt to card his first five. A good four at the eighth left him with an easy four to be out in 33, but in trying to steer his second he fcund the bunker and carded a five for 34 out. Starting home with 3, 4, 3, he short-putted at the 12th to card a fire. The only other Haw in his round was a hooked second at the 16th which resulted in a five. Xorrie Bell again played great golf, although a shaky start with two fives looked like him cracking, but bold putts which found the cup at the next four holes, renewed his confidence. Missing an 18-inch putt at the seventh was compensated for at the eighth, where he holed a beautiful 20-footer for a birdie three. A good four at the ninth saw him record the outward nine in one over fours. Starting for home with 3, 4, 3, he seemed assured of a good round, but again three putts on the 13th from 15 feet pw him worried. He reeled off the remaining five holes in sound fours, which gave him second place, brackettecl with Horton. Given fine weather, Bell should again score well to-morrow, but he is worried over tho possibility of wind and the increasing fastness of the greens. Moss OS Form Moss was not a shadow of the player Aucklanders know him Suffering from a heavy cold, he started disastrously j with a six and two fives to reach tin* i turn in 40. He was not able to better j this figure on the run in, and his round | put liiim practically out of the running, j Harold Black partnered with Moss, j started off' in great style, and again I played his long game boldly to reach j the turn in even fours, but on tho ! homeward run he started to flounder ! on some of his long seconds, which got i their penalty. A bad iron at the 10th ! cost him a four, and his drive at tho 11th found the heavy rough. Failing to get out with his second he carded a six and, finishing poorly, took -10 for the run home. Silk and Hornabrook arc both well up the list and, with the luck with them, might well finish in the first few places. Breather for Brinsden Brinsden, with a poor second round, will be fighting hard to Qualify for the amateur. Starting off with a poor five he had rather an exasperating time in tho green bunker at the second. His second shot just ran off (the sida of the green into the bunker and he was still there when he had played five shots. After three quick attempts to play the ball from the bunker, ho walked out and had a breather —hj« certainly looked hot under the collar. A masterly explosion shot', with his sixth left him a two-footer for a seven, but lie was not equal to the occasion, and an ugly eight was recorded so early on his card. Beaching the turn in 44. he played soundly on the run in to finish in 83. Included in the amateurs, who find themselves struggling to qualify is Rana Wagg, who was quietly fancied to win the crown again this year. Alex Sime is well up tho list, mainly due to his great putting, but, as the greens will be much faster for the final day's play, it is not anticipated that he will hold his place. j lan MacEwan is also well in the running and, if an Aucklander is to be the first winner of the Bledisloe Cup, then it is left to MacEwan. Only seven strokes separate quite a number of the amateurs and there will be keen play by them to-morrow in an endeavour to win the trophy. Horton is playing lietter than ever, and he looks like adding this coveted trophy to his already fine list. Indications point to a fiery course for to-morrow with high winds from the north-west and fast greens.