GOLF TITLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22564, 31 October 1936, Page 14

GOLF TITLES

DOMINION TOURNEY PROFESSIONAL FINAL CLEMENTS BEATS SHAW MARGIN OF THREE UP [ Hi: telegraph—own correspondent'] NEW rLYMOL'TH, Friday The final of the professional golf championship of New Zealand was won to-day by C. C. Clements (Russlev), who defeated the open champion, A. J. Shaw (unattached), over 3G holes, 3 and 2. Clements played brilliantly for the first nine holes in the afternoon to give him a three-up advantage, which Shaxv could not overtake. The amateur final will be contested to-morrow by J. P. Hornabrook (Manawatu) and L. Cathro (Castleeliff). On tournament form Cathro may take the title from Hornabrook. Results were as follows: —

AMATEUR CHAM PIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS J. P. Hornabrook beat B. G. Holland, 8 and 6. L. Cathro beat D. V. Sutherland, 3 and 2. PI {OFESSI ON A L I'M NAI / C'. C. Clements boat A. J. Shaw, 3 and 2. NKW ZEALAND PLATK FINAL J. L. Black beat H. J. Longstaff, 4 and 3. OTHKI! EVKXTS Amateur Medal Handicap.—B. IT. Menzies. 71, 2—72. Driving Competition.—A. E. Guy, 27-1 1-3 yards. The new professional champion is 40 years of age and this was his first success, although he won the professional foursomes at Titirangi in 1933. He played golf as a youth, but was gassed at the war and was given, it is stated, two years to live. He became a professional in 1924.

AMATEUR SEMI-FINALS L. CATHRO BRILLIANT WIN FOR J. P. HORNABROOK [iiY TELEGRAPH—FROM THE ROVER] NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday After three unsuccessful attempts to survive the semi-finals of the New Zealand amateur golf championship L. Cathro played brilliantly to-day, when he defeated the Taranaki champion D. V. Sutherland, at the 3-ltli hole and earned the rijzht to dispute final honours with the reigning champion, J. P. Hornabrook. Sutherland started nervously and Cathro, with a run of five fours, won four holes. Had it not been for the fact that Sutherland has a great match play record the gallery would' probably have lost interest at this stage, but they waited expecting the local player to recover. They had not long to wait as Sutherland won the seventh and eighth in :raie fours and was only two down. The position was unchanged at the turn, the figures for the first half being:— Sutherland 5554 5 344 3—38 Cathro 44444355 3—36 When Sutherland played a glorious iron shot to the short 12th and Cathro's ball finished in the bunker it appeared that the local player would not be called upon to hole his eight-footer for a win. Cathro, however, exploded out, holed his putt for si three and his opponent was not equal to his putt for the win. A four-yards putt for a two at "Moses" put Cathro four up, but lie lost the 16th when he missed a putt of just over a yard. The morning round finished with Cathro three up, his medal round being even fours.

Jn the afternoon Sutherland commenced more confidently than in the first round and he reduced his deficit to two when he obtained a four at the second, the 20th of the match. Cathro won two holes to the turn, but Sutherland won the 10th and 11th to bring the difference back to two again. Cathro holed a putt of 15 feet for a two to win the 12th, but he missed a yard putt on the next for a half. Cathro played a beautiful high pitch shot to the 14th, the ball finishing less than a yard from the hole and Sutherland, who was bunkered, conceded the hole when he missed his putt for a three. Sutherland sank a 25-foot putt to halve the next, but the end came when Cathro won the 16th with a four. Honiabrook played almost faultless golf in the morning against Holland and with an outward half of .'35 he was three up, a lead which he increased to five at the end of the round. In the second round his golf was not nearly so impressive as he frequently hooked his iron shots into bunkers, while his putting was not as sound as usual. Holland held his opponent to the 27th, but Hornabrook won the next three holes in good figures.

POPULAR VICTORY BLACK TAKES PLATE [BY TELEGRAPH I'ROM THE ROVER] PALMERSTON NORTII, Friday After defeating C. J Ward in the semi-final of the New Zealand Plate, J. L. Black met H. J. Longstaff in the final and scored a popular and wellmerited win. Longstaff took the lead at the first hole but Black squared the game at the third. With an outward half of 35, Black established a lead of three holes. Longstaff reduced his deficit with a brilliant four at the long 10th, but Black won the 12th, which was badly played by both. Black became dormy four when he holed his putt for a three at the short 14th. PREVIOUS WINNERS CLEMENTS' FIRST SUCCESS Previous winners of the New Zealand professional golf championship are as follows:—1920, J. H. Kirkwood; 1921, G. S. Douglas; 1922, A. Ham; 1923, E. J. Moss; 1921, E. J. Moss; 1925, E. J. Moss; 1926, J. Mcintosh; J927, J. Mcintosh; 1928, A. J. Shaw; 1929, A. Shaw; 1930. F. Butter; 1931, A. J. Shaw; 1932, A. J. Shaw; 1933, A. J. Shaw; 1934, A. J. Shaw; 1935, A. Murray.