TASMAN CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23429, 19 August 1939, Page 21

TASMAN CUP

LADIES' GOLF TROPHY THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND A YOUTHFUL COMBINATION [from our own correspondent] P' SYDNEY, Aug. 12 Australia is going ,to make, a groat bid this year, with a skilful team, to regain the Tasman Cup that Now Zealand women golfers won in Sydney last year. Tho team-is: —Miss Barbara Crago; New South Wales; Miss Betty Kernot, Victoria; Miss Joan Lewis, Victoria; Miss Margaret ..Rankin, New South Wales; Miss Gwen Shepherd, South Australia. Tho emergencies are Mrs. W. Smithett and Mrs. Sloan Morpeth, of Victoria. Miss Marjorio Green, a ricepresident of tlio Now South Wales Ladies' Golf Union, and a former New South Wales and Queensland champion, has been appointed manager of tho team. An Unexpected Choice Miss Shepherd, a young South Australian player, was an unexpected choice. It was believed that Mrs. Smithett, formerly Miss Nell Hut ton, would be preferred. She was a seiiufmalist in tho- national championship this week, is a former member of the Tasman Cup team, and gained much experience in England last year. The other four members of the team chose themselves on their recent performances. All except Miss Kernot are newcomers to Tasman Cup golf, and it is the youngest team yet chosen to represent Australia in this annual contest.

Miss Crngo, as the junior chapipion of New South Yales, has had a meteoric career in golf. She is still junior champion, yet reached the semi-final of the national championship last year and the final this year. Miss Crago promises to be one of the best of the Australian players for a number of years. Her game is based on all-round ability. Miss Lewis has the best record this season, of all players. She won the Victorian title in July and the national title this week, and sho also won tho national foursomes title with her sister, Miss Peter Lewis. Sho has been playing "golf for only five years. State Championship Win Miss Rankin has been establishing herself in golf in New South Wales for the last three years, although she has played for a much longer period. She has been more consistent this year than in previous years. Her win in tho Stato championship last month has given her confidence, and she went to the semi-finals in the national championship, losing to Miss Lewis. Shs is notorious for the slowness of her play, and it is rarely that her over-deliberate methods do not cause comment by spectators, writers and officials.^ Although Miss Kernot this week lost her national title, which she won in 1937 and 1938, she is one of the most accomplished stroke-makers and matcliplavers in Australia. Her courage and determination have been proved on many an occasion. Sho was a finalist in the New Zealand championship in 1937. . ; Two Prominent Emergencies : Miss Shepherd probably gained selection because of her performance in being third in the qualifying rounds of the national championship, and reaching the quarter-finals of the championship.. She has held the South Australian junior' title. Both Mrs. Smitliett and Mrs. Sloan Morpeth, the emergencies, played in New Zealand with the 1937 team, and are regarded as two of the best players in Australia, especially in match play.