PROFESSIONAL GOLF

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12096, 25 March 1925, Page 4

PROFESSIONAL GOLF

AT HERETAUHCA OPENING OF DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIP. 60ME GOOD PERFORMANCES. YOUTH WINS HANDICAP. The third New Zealand professional golf • tournament was commenced at -Heretaunga Golf Links yesterday morning, twelve players competing, this .wing the largest number of entries to cate. Moss (Auckland) holder of the New Zealand open and professional championshiTM was a regrettable absentee. ne Weather was beautiful, and the hubs were in splendid order and fast, but the greens were very hard. . The tournament opened with a competition, in which Blair (Shirley) did a par round of 73 and finished 4 up. He played splendid golf all the to ihim cam© Shaw (unattached. Welling ton), 3 up from the plus 2 mark. Hie round of 72 waa the best performance of the morning. He was driving with great length, but the feature of his game was his approach work with a mashie. 7” 111 e after time he laid his chip shot-within inches of the pin. The cards of these two players were as follow: BLAIR. Out: 445445563 —37. ' In -. ,454433445-36 Total: 73. SHAW. Out : 453445453—37. In: 444533444-35. Total : 72. The best other cards returned were as follow: „ , R,. C. Butters (Wanganui): 2 up; out 39; in, 36. Total, 75. J. It. Galloway (Palmerston North): 2 up: out, 453534453—36: in, 39. Total, 75. Ritchie (New Plymouth): 1 up; out, 38; in 38. Total, 76. J Mclntosh (Hutt): All square; out, 40: in, 35. Total, 75. Hood (Miramar) played disappointingly. and took 81. Clements (Hagley Park) was playing steadily, but was missing his putts, and took 78, while Forrest (Timaru) took 81. T. Galloway took 80. Green (Wellington) and 4 Smith (Onmaru) were well into the 80’s. STROKE HANDICAP YOUTHFUL WINNER. In the afternoon, Lhe first (stroke) handicap of 18 hole* was played in excellent weather conditions, a light breeze nreventing the afternoon being uncomfortably warm. The green was fast end in good order, but rain is needed. T. Galloway (Palmerston North), who is not yet’ 18 years of age, and whose fattier was also competing, returned a net 75, notwithstanding that he started ! with seven with a badly sliced shot into , the bunkey. He made up on’, the return journoy, beating bogey by one. Forrest returned a net 76, and played a steady I round, while Clements’ (Hagley Park) | net score was 79, a.card on which there j were ’ no big figures.- None of the score : cords were remarkably low, but sonic at ’least will probably show better form in ! the championship, play in which com* ; menefis at 9.50 this morning. | Mclntosh (Hutt) was not playing quite such a steady game as usual, and while "laying the sixteenth hole twice got into “rough," but got out of it well. Sliaw . (Wellington) was doing some excellent mnshio work, getting a long, straight ball, olaying better than usual. Hood, who did not shine in the morning, disnlnved no better form in the afternoon, again returning 81. but Clements improved. and returned 79. Blair’s display *. as not quite consistent, with the fine .-core

made in the bogey handicap, returning a net 80, although, his play in the after* noon was oonsistent. R. C. Butters (Wanganui), whose card was 75 in the morninsr. failed to do better than 83 in the afternoon. Several of the players found the green at the 18th hole somewhat tricky. The following are the i.et ecores:— T. Galloway- (Palmerston North) 75 G B. Forrest (Timaru) 76 J. A. Clements (Hagley Park) 79 H. R. Blair (Shirley) 80 A. J. Shaw (unattacned, •Wellington) 80 H. Green (Wellington) 80 J. R. Galloway {Palmerston North) .... 81 F. G. Hood (Miramar) 81 J. Mclntosh (Hutt) 82 G. W. Ritchie (New Plymouth) S 3 R. C. Butters (Wanganui) 83 B. J. Smith (Oamaru) 85 THC CHAMPIONSHIP TO-DAY'S PLAY. The programme for to-day is as follows: 9.80 a.m.—Wellington Professional Championship (stroke play), 72 holes, first round. Challenge Cup (stroke play), 86 (holes, first round. 1 p.m. Wellington Professional Championship, second round. Myers Challenge Cup, final round. Concurrently, second stroke handicap. 36 hole 9.