CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22084, 14 October 1933, Page 12

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF

SHAW RETAINS HIS TITLE WRIGHT DEFEATS DR ROSS BLACK WINS ON LAST GREEN (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, October 13. Considering there were a final, two semi-finals, and a play-off of a tie it was only natural that there should be a record attendance for the 1933 New Zealand golf ’tournament at the Titirangi links to-day. Unfortunately there was little excitement in, two of the matches, Shaw having a comfortable win over Dyke in the final of the professional championship, while one of the semi-finale in the amateur championship between the two Dunedin players, Wright and K, Ross, proved a runaway victory for the firstnamed. The large throng of spectators, however, obtained all the thrills they required in the other amateur semi-final between H. A. Black and Young, the

16-year-old Titirangi player. The match went to the thirty-sixth hole, where Black won 1 up. The spectators swarmed on to the course after Young had won the seventeenth, and the few officials had a task in clearing a way for the players. Both were on the final green with their seconds. Young, whose ball was 10 yards from the hole, had to sink the putt for a win. The spectators gasped wen the ball stopped a foot short, in direct line. Black, who was almost stymied, putted safely to the left for a certain half, which won him a most exciting encounter. The weather in the morning was like midsummer, but it was dull in the afternoon. The day's matches resulted as follows: — PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. Final. A. J. Shaw (unattached) beat A. H. Dyke (Lower Hutt) 6 and 6. WINNERS TO DATE. The following are the_ winners of the professional championship of the Dominion since 1920: — * c 1920 H. Kirkwood (Victoria). 1921 — E. S. Douglas (Miramar). 1922 A. Ham (Wellington). 1923 — E. J. Moss (Auckland). 1924 E. J. Moss (Auckland). 1925 E. J. Moss (Auckland). 1920 —J. D. MTntosh (Masterton) 1927 — J. D. MTntosh (Masterton). \ 1928 — H. R. Blair (Napier). 1929 — A. J. Shaw (Napier). 1930 F. Rutter (Auckland). 1931 — A. J. Shaw (Wanganui). \ 1932 — A. J. Shaw (unattached). 1933 — A. J. Shaw (unattached). AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. Semi-finals. H. A. Black (Miramar) beat J. H. Young (Titirangi) 1 up. B. V. Wright (Otago) beat K. Ross (Otago) 10 and 9. FOURSOMES CHAMPIONSHIP. Professionals. N. C. Bell (North Shore) and C. C. Clements (Christchurch) beat H. R. Blair (Christchurch), and B. J. Moss (Auckland) 72—74. DRIVING COMPETITION. Longest Drive.—A. E. Guy (Palmerston North), 301yds 2ft, 1; B. M. Silk (Wanganui), 300yds, 2. Best Aggregate.—Silk, 293yds Ift and 330yds, 593yds Ift, 1; Guy. 301yds 2ft and 280yds, 581yds 2ft, 2. NOTES ON THE PLAY AN EXCITING FINISH. Black was dormy two over Young leaving the thirty-fourth green, and a dozen or so spectators came back to the clubhouse, remarking that it was all over. They had, however, not reckoned on the Titirangi youth's tenacity. Young had a chance of squaring the match at the thirty-sixth after he had won the previous hole. At this stage the spectators scattered all over the course ahead of the players, and the umpire was compelled to send them off before Young could drive. The scene round the final green after both players had placed their approach shots on was one long to be remembered. Young approached first and was just off the cut grass on top of the terrace. Black’s second landed near the same spot, but his ball rolled down three or four yards towards the pin. There was a breathless silence as Young stood for his 10-yard putt. Shrieks from the fair sex annouheed the fact that he had hit the ball straight for the hole, but there were many sighs when it stopped a foot short. Black was almost stymied, but he only required to play safely for a half, and he putted a little to the left to be only the same distance from the hole as his youthful opponent. The pair shook hands to the accompaniment of loud cheering and applause. The crowd had become thoroughly worked up over Young’s gallant uphill fight, and the merit of his performance was obviously fully appreciated. The loser has created a record for New Zealand in that he is the first player of such tender golfing years to reach the semi-finals of a Dominion Championship. WRIGHT DEFEATS ROSS. Ross pulled or hooked a lot of his shots in the first round, and this was mainly responsible for Wright being 9 up at the interval with a round of 73. Wright, however, had played sound golf. PROFESSIONAL FINAL. Shaw played accurate golf against Dyke, who struck bunker trouble, and also putted indifferently. Shaw was 2 up at the turn, being out in 37. There were two beautiful putts on the way back, Dyke sinking a 20-footer at the fourteenth and Shaw a 30-footer at the next. Shaw was 5 up at the end of the round, which was done in 73. Dyke played better in the afternoon, but was unable to make up the leeway, Shaw continuing to give a first-class exhibition. Shaw tfon the title for the third successive year. PROFESSIONAL FOURSOMES. Some very fine golf_ was witnessed in the play-off of the tie in the Professional Foursomes. All four players putted splendidly. Blair missed a short one on the fourteenth, this being the only blemish in an otherwise excellent round. Bell never missed anytlung on the green, while Blair and Clements were responsible for remarkable efforts respectively at the sixteenth and seventeenth of 30ft and 00ft. Bell and Clements did 30 each way for 72, while Blair and Moss took one stroke more each way.