AMATEUR GOLF

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7853, 15 July 1911, Page 1

AMATEUR GOLF

ENGLAND TRIUMPHANT AUSTRALIAN PLATERS AT PRESTWICK. BRUCE PEARCE'S BOLT) BED. FROM OUB SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. LONDON, June 2. There was a fine imperial and international flavour about the twenty-sixth annual tournament for the Amateur Golf Championship which commenced at Prestwick last Monday. The entry of MG was fourteen fewer than the number received last year, but, excepting for the absence of Mr Robert Maxwell and Mr John Graham, it was fairly rcpi-esonta-tiv-e of the cream of British golf, while the players also included well-known men from our own dominions aud other friendly lands beyond tho, seas Of visitois one is Mr Chas. Evans, of Edgwatep. 111., U.S.A., who is known to ’ bis friends as “Chick," Though oniy twenty years of ago, Mr Evans alieady bolds a phenomenal record in America, where he has won both the open and amateur championships of the West, and has twice reached the semi-final stage of the National Amateur Championship. America also contributed Mr P. \V. Whitbemoie, of the Brookline Country Club, and Mr H. L. Gaw, of Philadelphia. The latter has won minor championships on the Continent, and is no stranger to our own premier event, but Mr u hittemore is here for the first time. He gained experience in the United States Amateur Championship. From Australia camo a quartet, tho Hon. Michael Scott, Messrs Clyde Pearcy, Bruco Pearce, and N. F. Chiristoe. The first named, who holds the Australian Amateur Championship, is a brother of the Hon.-‘Denys and Hon. Own-ond Scott, both of whom entered the lists at Prestwick, and the brothers Pearce are Tasmanian born. Mr Clyde Pearce won the Australian Open and Amateur Championships in 1503, while ho and his brother secured the Australian Foursome Championship in 1509. Mr G. R. Mugliston, from Singapore, completed the overf=oas contingent, but Mr H. D, Gil Hos, a New Zealander, was also arrong the contestants. .. And now to tell how these men from lands beyond the seas fared. The Hon. Michael Scott drew a bye in the first round, and was knocked out very unexpectedly in the second by Mr John Tulloch after a match. The rival© wore all square at the turn, but Mr Tulloch became one up at the fourteenth, and secured another hole at tho next. Mr Scott failed -to get on verms again, and his opponent won by A,and i. The Scott brothers met their . Waterloo? in tho finst round. Hie Hon. 0 Soott being beaten at the 20th hoi© by Mr A-, Woolley, the Midland champion, and th* Hon. Denys Soott losing easily to the Lancarti-ian, F. D. Gardner, who gained a bottom victory by 6 up and 5 to play. Hr Bruce Pearce, who ako drew a bye in the first round, met a feemon worthy of his steel in the second in the perron of Mr Angus Hambro, of the Royal St. George's G.C. Mr Bruce Pearce, a lefihandvd player, stout, sturdy, and steady, was at some slight disadvantage from the tee against Mr Hambro, but in other departments of the game do fully held his own, taking tho lead at the thirteenth hole after the' match had been square at tho turn and winning the seventeenth. The elder brother, Mr Clyd“ Pearce, who had held tho Open and Amateur Championships of Australia in 1903, played ! magnificent golf against Mr W. C. Ross, of Romford. Mr Pen roe drives a nice ball with a good followthrough, keeps very straight, and putts well, hitting tho ball in a ; r.rwav. that keeps it bugging very closely- to .tbs turf. Mr AVilson found his opponent absolutely irrestistible, for Mr Pearce did tho first seven holes in an average of two under 4's and was 5 up at that point; Ho lost tho -eighth, but was h up again at tho hum, which he reached in 3G strokes, and winning tho next thror* holes brought the match to a summary conclusion.

The Now Zealander, Mr 11. D. Gillies, now of the "Woking Club, who had a walk-over in the first round,’ bed a tough fight in the second scries with Mr H. C. Ellis, of tho Royal West Norfolk, whom he beat at tho twentieth hole, and in the earns round Mr N. F. Chrisioe put paid to the account df Mr Schofield in the West Hertfordshire G.C., tho Australian winning by 3 and 2. Of the Ameiicans, Mr Whittemore, who drew a bye in the first round, was knocked out in tho second by Mr E. A. Lassen, who beat him by 2 and 1, but Messrs Gow and Evans survived. In tho third round Mr. Bruce Pearce had a comparatively soft task against Mr James jun., whom he beat by 3 and 2, and Mr Civile Pearce was far too good for Mr G. H. Lawrence, who retired dexeated by 3 and 2. Mr H. D. Gillies also romped home in this.round, winning by 5 aud 4 f.o.u -Mr May, but Mr Chn&toe came a cropper against Mr C. 11, Alison, of Stoke Pages, who won by the very ample margin of 6 and 5. Tue two Americans, Mr il. L. Gow and Mr Evans, again defeated their respective rivals -and comfurtaoly qualified for the fourth series. NOTABLE AUSTRALIAN VICTORY.

Wednesday was a day of big surprises, not the least of them being tuo deitat of the redoubi-aols "Chick” it vans by Biuco Pearce in tbo fifth round. JYotuing looked less iikely than the latter’s victory from the way in which they started, for 11 vans began in ntainy perfect style, and had an average or three under fours for seven holes, iearce, too, played weui, but he was - down at the turn, and three holes to the bad at tbo thirteenth.’ The turning pomt of tue match was' reached at tue fourteenth, wuoro Evans misled a short putt tor a half. Svid, he was two up, with three to go, but at tue sixteenth he made a bad second snot, and. lost tue hole. The seventeenth witnessed some extraordinary golf. Pearce got in a bcauaiui drive, and was muelv. on the green in two. but Evans pulled his tee shot into the rough, tie was ouukered sUurc ox t-e green f.oin his second, and took two to get out. The hole looked a certainty for tue Tasmanian, but ne took three on the green, wuercaa Evans got down in one putt, and was still .dormy gong to the homo hcie. Here Pearce got in a good drive, but Evans was oumxered, ana the Tasmanian squared ihe mi,oh by winning the bole in Uxrte. Both sent away tine tee snotsto the nineteenth, but tvnereaa mane overran the green and found a really bad he, Pearce made a perfect n ashie shot to within ten feet 01 the pin. Evans took off his jacket before attempting to ext. icate himself from his difficult ns. His first shot only sent the bail a tew fee: towards the green, and his second took him a little way inside Pearce’s position. Then the Tasmanian putted absolutely dead in the three, and Evans held out hia hand and acknowledged defeat in sportsmanlike manner. It was a fine finish to a fine match, in which the Tas-

Iranian’s dogged fighting _ spint and faculty of recovery after his opponents brilliant open.ug stamped Pearce, as one of the best Jefc-handtd players ot the dav. Prior to playing this match Mr Pearce had defeated Mr Jcha Thompson, of Prestwick, by ’3 up and 2 to play. Tho match between Clyde. Pearce and Mr B. Darwin, of Woking, in tire fourth round'was most interesting, hut resulted in the Tasmanian's defeat. Pearce made a promising start, showing much the steadier form and winning the first three holes. He was still 2up at the turn, but then Darwin came with a rush and captured tho next three ' holes. Pearce squared at the thiiteenth, and regained the lend at the next, Darwin there missing a short putt for the half. Afterwards something went wrong with Pearce’s driving, and Darwin won the fifteenth hole in three by sinking a long putt. Two shots in a not bunker cost Pearco the sixteenth, and. in trouble on all the wav to “tho Alps he was there beaten bv 2 and 1. Bound four also saw tho end of tho New- Zealander. Mr H. D. Gillies, who had to meet Mr E A. Lassen, of Lytham, one of the most fancid candidates for the championship, Mr Gillies hardly performed un to his best standard and retired defeated by 3 and 2. EXIT AUSTRALIA. Ths form displayed by Mr Bmco Pearce in his match with Mr “Chick" Evans gave rise to hopes that Australia might provide the amateur champion. But it was not to be, for in the sixih round ho met with defeat at the' hands of Mr Gordon Lockhart, of the Prest•wick St. Nicholas Club, by 4 and 3. It was not bad play on the Tasmanian’s part that gave Mr Lockhart the .victory. It was one of those occasions on which everything came off all right for tho winner. Mr Lockhart played splendidly, and almost every time an extra good shot was required ho was able to produce it- His form at the short' game was wonderful and heartbreaking to his opponent. He certainly gave Pearce a letoff bv taking three putts on tho first green, but after that he could do no wrong. He won the third, fourth and fifth holes, getting down a two-yarder at .-.he fourth and a four-yarder for a beautiful two at the Himalayas, while at the sixth, after placing the odd on to the green, he snatched a half by sinking a ;onr-yard putt- He became four up at the seventh, but Pearce won his first hole in the match at the eighth, and then Lockhart won the ninth in a brilUan three, by holing a twenty-five yaid suot, and was four up again. Pea.co had played by no means badly, and had only required forty strokes to reach the turn, but that was six strokes wo'sethan the' score of his opponent. Lockhart easily held on to his lead coming home, while Pearce was twice the victim of stymies, and the Tasmanian left-handei had to say good-bye to the tournament at the fifteenth hole. His conqueror was put out in the semi-final round by Mr Harold Hilton, whose plnv throughout the championship has been little short of marvellous. To-day he meets Mr Lassen in the final and lias only to reproduce the form ho has displayed in the qualifying rounds to win.