FERRIER'S GAME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22457, 29 June 1936, Page 9

FERRIER'S GAME

BELOW BEST FOBM

TROUBLE IN LAST ROUNDS NEW CHAMPION PRAISED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Eeceived June 28, 6.35 p.m.) LONDON. June 27 In the open golf championship to-day, James Ferrier (Australia) had a number of visits to the rough and bunkers in both rounds. At the twelfth in the third round his drive hit and killed a lark. The marker picked up the little bird and said he intended to preserve it. He offered to present it to the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. The Australian finished the final round spectacularly. He was bunkered from his second at the eighteenth but dug out the ball, which shot on to the green and rushed up to the pin. Ferrier's caddie pulled out the flag in the nick of time and the ball dropped in for a three.

Ferrier threw up his clubs and stood with his hands clasped behind his head, rooted to the spot with astonishment. Then he smiled broadly while the spectators cheered.

"That is the last shot I shall play in England, and it was a good one," said Ferrier to a representative of the Australian Associated Press. "The next time I come, it will be different. I have learned a great deal by my visit to the Old Country where I hare done far more than I expected. I have learned that my iron play was all wrong. "When I have put that right, I shall return and hope to acquit myself better." Tribute to New Champion The newspapers pay a tribute to Padgham as a deserving champion. At the age of 29, he has won almost every professional honour possible, taking four major tournaments since September, to which now he has added the open championship. Padgham modestly said, "I played my two worst rounds of the year today. My putter saved me." Forty-three competitors had scores below 310, six scored 310, including Compston with 77 in the last round. Sixty-three players, with aggregates of 156 and under for the first two rounds, qualified for the third and fourth rounds. Incidents in the Second Round Ferrier struck all sorts of trouble on the outward journey of the second round, being out of bounds, in bunkers, and once he struck a woman spectator. He missed several putts by fractions. Nevertheless, he was out in 38 and home in 36. Padgham had a fine outward run in the second round but an adventurous homeward journey, including a six at the twelfth and hitting a spectator at the fourteenth. Then he made a "grandstand" finish with 4, 4, 4, 3. Cotton took 34 going out in the second round. The only interruption to his mechanical accuracy was the finding of a bunker at the second hole. He dropped strokes at the tenth, eleventh and seventeenth owing to hooked tee shots.

J. Adams started badly, hooking several drives, but from the third onward he played grand golf. The wind rose during the afternoon, and late starters were affected, including McLean and Sarazen.