GOLF TOURNEY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22818, 27 August 1937, Page 14

GOLF TOURNEY

BOTORUA CH AM PION SHIP SEMI-FINAL STAGES FORM OF GOSS DISAPPOINTS KUSABS DEFEATS STEDMAN [by TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] ROTORUA, Thursday With good weather conditions for the first time since the opening rounds on Tuesday, interesting golf was witnessed at the Arikikapakapa links to-day in the quarter and semi-final stages of the Rotorua amateur open championship tournament. Added interest was given to the 'play by the meeting between the two scratch men, J. Goss and H. D. Brinsden, in the senii-fuial, and the continued good form of the * young Rotorua player, W. Kusabs. If thrills were expected by tlio large crowd which was attracted to the match between Goss and Brinsden they were sadly disappointed, for Goss showed a complete lack of his best form and was convincingly beaten, 7 and 6. Kusabs throughout the day played exceptionally steady rounds and in the afternoon secured a well-earned victory against .T. Stedman, to give him the honour of meeting Brinsden in the final to-morrow. Improvement ol Davies Another Rotorua player, T. McElroy, also won both games during the day in the Thermal Cup competition, and he will meet H. G. Davics in the final. Since his lapse on the opening day, when he failed to qualify to defend his championship title, Davics has been playing steadier golf, although he had a.closo call this afternoon, when C. H. Knight, of Auckland, took him to the 18th before ho could clinch the win, 1 up. Brinsden, who was playing steady but far from faultless golf in the morning, had too many strokes in his bag for H. P. Cullen, of Akarana. After gaining an early lead ho held this to win 4 and 3. Goss, who had covered the course on the previous day with a brilliant round of 68, was fully extended by E. L. Bartlcot, Auckland. At the 14th the pair were all square, and only a brilliant chip shot over a bunker at the loth and putting lapses by Bartleet at the 16th and 17th enabled Goss to av;ert defeat. Goss had all the luck on the 18th when, after slicing into the trees, the ball rebounded on to the fairway, while his opponent also played a bad tee shot to the left hand bunkers. Opportunity Lost Bartleet had to cbip out, but when Goss had the game in hand ho missed a short putt and Bartleet squared. The 19th was done in fours, after Bartleet had played a great shot from a bunker to within a foot of the pin and from the 20th tee both found trouble. Bartleet being in the right hand bunker and Goss level with the pin on the wrong side of the mound. Bartleet failed to clear with his first, and Goss took the hole and the game with a three. W. Kusabs and -11. C. Smith, the two Rotorua players, had a great fight to gain the ascendancy, both playing confidently. At tho 17th the position was all square, but on tho 18th Kusabs took the game with a good four. A fine recovery was staged by J. E. Stedman, Auckland, after being, two dofrii ! ht the 14th against E. Toogood. Tlie lattfcr up to that stage had been playing exceedingly well. Stedman squared the game at the 17tii, and ultimately won, 1 up. , disappointing Match r Tlie game between Goss and Brinsden brought an unusually largo gallery out on to the course in the afternoon. The display by Goss, however, was most disappointing, and with Brinsden 4 up on the seventh tho issue was beyond doubt, as toward the end of the morning round Goss' tee shots were anything but straight. The further Goss went the more the quiet confidence of Brinsden appeared to put him off bis game. At the eighth Brinsden had increased the lead to five, and the match ended on the 12th with a win for Brinsden, 7 and 6. The match between AY. Kusabs and J. Stedman provided ample compensation for tho gallery. Kusabs was never seen to better advantage than when be was in difficulties. Driving a particularly long and straight ball from tho tee, he generally outdistanced his opponent, while his iron shots were beyond reproach. From tho seventh, when he had a lead of 2 up, he was never behind, but after both had done a birdie two at the inlet, he lost one at tho crater, where Stedman did another two to Kusabs' tlinee. Stedman missed a three-foot putt on the 16th green for the half, and was again 2 down. A brilliant bunker shot by Kusabs and bad putting by Stedman on the 17th halved the liolo and gave Kusabs the game. Finals To-day The finals in both the championship and Thermal Cup contests will be played over 36 holes to-morrow. Kusabs and Brinsden will start at 9.35 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. in tho champion* ship, and McElroy and Davies at 9.40 a.m. and 1.40 p.m. in the cup competition. Results of to-day's play were as follows: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Third Round W. Kusabs (Rotorua) beat R. C. Smith (Rotorua), 1 up. J. Stedman (Auckland) beat E. Toogood 'Auckland), 1 up. J. Goss (Wanganui) beat E. L. Bartleet (Auckland), at the 20th. H. D. Brinsden (Auckland) beat H. P. Cullen (Auckland), 4 and 3. Semi-finat.s W. Kusabs beat J. Stedman, 2 and 1. 11. D. Brinsden beat J. Goss, 7 and C. THERMAL CUP Third Round.—T. McElroy (Rotorua) beat V. Salok (Auckland), 1 up; E. Potter (Wells-ford) beat R. S. Ward (Hawera), 5 and 3; C. H. Knight (Auckland) beat T. Blcomffeld (Waiuku), 5 and 4; H. G. Davies (Hastings) beat D. McMillan (Mamaku), 3 and 2. Semi-finals.—T. McElroy beat F. Potter, 5 and 4; 11. G. Davies beat O H. Knight, 1 up.