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Otago Daily Times, Issue 22609, 28 June 1935, Page 9

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FIRST ROUND LEADERS BRILLIANT PLAY BY COTTON (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, June 26. Cotton, with 68, leads in the first round of the Open Championship. M'Donald-Smith and Perry, 09, tie for second place, followed by Kenyon, M'Ruvie and Padgham, 70; Mahon (of Dublin), Lacey and C. Whiteombe, 71; Holland, R. Whiteombe, Hod Von, Alliss, B. Gadd, Green, R. Sweeney and Picard, 72. The others include Lucas (of Cambridge), 74; Lawson-Little, Seymour, E. R. Whitjombe, Dailey and A. Compston, 75; Ezar, J. H. Busson, W. Cox and King, 70; M'Lean, 77; Abe Mitchell and Brews, 78; Havers, 79. The second round will be played tomorrow, after which the leading 60 and those tieing for sixtieth place will play in the final two rounds on Friday. Heavy rain and bad visibility did not prevent Cotton returning a record of 68. Unrivalled for sheer ease of stroke and uncanny accuracy, Cotton has never driven so far and straight. At the first hole of 453 yards his tee shot finished 70 yards from the flag. He reached the ninth of 490 yards with his drive and a mashie niblick. He went out in 33. He started homeward in torrential rain, was bunkered at the last three holes, but' redeemed his mistakes with magnificent putting. Kirkwood took 43 for the first nine and tore up his card at the fourteenth. Greenwood, in the Daily Telegraph, says he has never seen more flawless golf than Cotton's. He did six under 4's for 17 holes. The only disaster was at the last hole, where he found a bunker, costing 6. M'Donald-Smith, going out, did not seem likely seriously to challenge Cotton, who began the homeward journey with 5. After that his putter began to work miracles, putts of every length going down. I His figures for the last eight holes were 3,3, 3,4, 4,3, 5, 3. f