FINE VICTORY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22240, 15 October 1935, Page 11

FINE VICTORY

WINNER'S GOOD FOEM WEATHER AFFECTS PLAYERS _/ . '» HORNABROOK'S DIFFICULTIES [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday In a strong southerly wind, with occasional cold showers, tho two final rounds of the open championship were played to-day, and scoring was much more difficult owing to tho sudden change of conditions. The new open champion, A. Murray, was born at Pitlochry, Scotland, in 1911, and he came to this country flith E. S. Douglas in 1929. Prior to leaving his home country he had not met with any outstanding success in the golfing world, his main feat being to fill second place in the assistant professionals' tournament the previous year. This is the third New Zealand championship meeting in which he has taken part, but prior to this he has not been very prominent. At Palmerston North he was beaten by A. J. Sbaw in the professional championship,! and last year he went out to C. C. (plements at the 20th.

At the conclusion of the first two rounds of this open he was jftve strokes behind Hornabrook, the leader, and three strokes behind Shaw. At the end of the morning round to-day he was ill second place to Shaw, who had Rained another stroke. A splendidly-played round of 71, which included missed putts of under 2ft. at the 16th and 17th holes, gave him a total of 286. This was one stroke better than Shaw's winning total on the same course ixx 1931. Shaw then required a 74 to win and, as he was hitting his shots well, it was expected that he would have little difficulty in returning a score in the low seventies. He commenced with a 5, which was poor, as with a following wind the first green was in range of a drive and a very short clip. He slipped another stroke to the turn, which he reached in 38, and although a number of holes were into the wind coming ■ home, he still had a great chanoe. He topped his second shot at the tenth, to card a 5, and then obtained sound fours at the two following holes. Shaw's Unlucky Thirteenth The 13th hole, in this case appropriately named " old nick," was a tragedy for Shaw, and it was here that he lost the title, which he had won on a number of occasions. The hole measures 128 yards and is a very simple one-Bhotter. Shaw over-clubbed badly, Btruck trouble and required a 5. Even at this stage he stiil had a chance if he had produced the brilliant figures of which he is capable, but when he took fives at the 14th and 16th holes, it was all over.

The success of Murray was well deserved, and he is a worthy. champion, as he has all the shots necessary to be in the top flight. By his defeat Shaw lost none of his prestige, and he never wilted even after {he disastrous 13th. He has still many years of first-class golf in front of him, and he should be a strong contender in the future. Wind Affects Hornabrook J. P. Hornabrook, who led the field with two brilliant 69's, was even fours to the ninth this morning, but he went to pieces from then on. He was obviously troubled by the wind, and his shots were not hit with the crispness which was so apparent in the opening rounds.

The home journey cost him - many strokes, and he finished in 6, 6, 4, for a total of 78, his aggregate then being the same as that of Murray. In the afternoon he showed no improvement. Visits to bunkers proved expensive, and eventually he finished in 78, his total being 11 strokes behind the winner.

A. D. S. Duncan put- up a remarkable performance to fill third place and even in the high wind his long game was as accurate as ever. Oh the greens he had no luck, putts just missing time and again, but his two 76's were very creditable. Horton Out ol Luck E. S. Douglas continued to play fine ' golf, but a,ii 8 at the fourteenth hole in the morning put him out of the running. T. H. Horton, the Masterton amateur, has lost none of his skill with the irons and he played splendid, consistent gold without any luck on the greens. Apart from a weak third round H. A. Black played sound golf and as he is a fine match player he should make a bold bid to regain the title he won at Pahnerston North. G. Watt could not adapt himself to the changed conditions and his final rounds wore not in keeping with the finished display he gave earlier. _ The Auckland professionals, A. H. Dyke and N. C. Bell, each played a good long game, but putting let them down, Bell in particular being very weak on the greens this morning, He missed five putts of under a yard and finished in 79, but he improved by four strokes after lunch. B. G. Thomson, the only Aucklander to qualify, had a bad run in the third round, as, after missing a foot' putt on the third, he went out of bounds at the two following holes to card a 7 at each. Out in 43, he fared little better coming home, as ho dropped strokes, finally finishing in 42, for a total of 80. In the afternoon he _played nice golf for a 75.