PROFESSIONAL GOLF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 13

PROFESSIONAL GOLF

AUSTRALIAN TITLE V WIN FOR M. L. KELLY DEFEAT OF W. BOLGER By Telegraph—Prosa Association—Copyright (Received October 19. 7.45 p.m.) SYDNEY. Oct. 19 The professional golf championship of Australia was won to-day by M. L. Kelly, who defeated W. Bolger in the final, 2 and 1. The winner played brilliant golf. He out-drove his opponent, but his iron shots were not as consistent as Bolger's. His sound putting was the deciding factor. Bolger's jvork on the greens was patchy. M. L. Kelly, who is 21 years of age, is the "professional to the Goulburn Club, New South Wales. He came into prominence last year by winning the Australian open, being three strokes ahead of the youthful J. Ferrier, who at that time was only 18 years old. His scores for the four rounds were 73, 76, 73; 80. In the match play for the professional title he reached the semi-finals, to bo beaten by V. S. Richardson. Since then he has been disappointing, and has seldom been in any way prominent in the tournaments in which he has participated. In the open event this year Kelly failed-to get into the first 12, but his victorious career in the professional championship has been the result of beating several of the best players in the Commonwealth. After disposing of E. Bolger in the first round, he went on to beat the veteran D. Souter, while in the semi-finals he turned the tables on Richardson. His victory over thfs year's open title winner, W. Bolger, is a reply to the critics who regarded Kim as an accidental champion last year, and quoted him as an example of a. brilliant stroke player, who railed when it came to match play. Kelly is a powerful driver and at times a brilliant performer with his short play. His putting is inclined to be erratic, and it is this that has contributed largely to his recent failures. W. Bolger has had a long record of successes during the past two seasons,- and is regarded as likely to do well iri 9t the Centenary events.