GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26350, 3 January 1947, Page 3

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

A. G. SIME WINS SENIOR TITLE VETERAN’S FINE PERFORMANCE The Dunedin Amateur Golf Championship, and the Otago Junior Championship were decided on the St. Clair Golf Club’s course at Corstorphine yesterday in perfect playing conditions. The weather was ideal, the moderate easterly breeze tempering the heat of the sun, and the greens and fairways were in perfect , order. The senior championship was won by the veteran Otago player, A. G. Sime, who produced a brand of golf that his opponent could not emulate. He specialised in bogey figures in both

the semi-final and the final, and any mistake on the part of the opposing player meant the loss of a hole. The runner-up was P. A. Joblin, who won his morning round against J. E. Matheson largely as the result of Matheson’s mistakes on the greens, and who was obviously not in Sime’s class in the final, although he was not disgraced. Sime was at the top of his form and it would have taken better than par golf to beat him. The Otago Junior Championship was won by R. B. Dick, who had a fairly easy win over A. R. Timms by 5 and 4 Timms is a young golfer who shows more than average promise, and his success in reaching the final of the championship was well deserved. Dick had that extra steadiness that is so valuable in match play, however, and played sound golf. A single Stableford bogey handicap that was played in the morning was won by G. C. McKay with a score of 343 —37, S. B. Ward, also with a score of 25—12—37, being awarded the second place on the count back. A four-ball bogey handicap was won by A. Herbert and W. Robertson with a card of 6 up, E. J. Doogue and S. B. Ward, who were also 6 up, gained second place on the count back. Semi-finals The semi-final between Sime and S. F Lambert produced sound golf and although Sime won 3 and 2, he was fully extended by his young opponent, who made very few mistakes. Both players hit long balls off the tee and their approaching and putting were steady and accurate. Sime sank a long putt to win the first hole in 4, and he took the second in 4 to 5. Lambert turned on a birdie 4 to win the third, the next two were halved, and Sime won the sixth In 4 to 5, to be 2 up again. The seventh was halved in 4. and Sime increased his lead at the eighth, which he won in 3 to 4. The ninth and tenth were halved in bogey figures, and Lambert regained a hole at the eleventh, which he took with a bogey 3. The twelfth vvas halved in 4. the thirteenth in 5, the fourteenth in 4, and the flfttenth m 4, all bogey figures. Lambert mis-nit his drive at the sixteenth—his only poor shot in the match—and Sime took the hole in 4 to 5 and the match 3 match between Matheson and Joblin was rather patchy, neither player being very sure of his short game There were many missed putts, and at one stage Matheson completely lost touch with his approaches and lost several holes He made a good recovery over the last three holes, but lost the game on the eighteenth green. Joblin win the fifth and eighth, where Matheson was stymied, and ninth, ana turned for home 3 up. Matheson reduced his deficit at the eleventh, but Joblin won the next and was again 3 up. The next three holes were halved, and then Matheson, who was dormie at the sixteenth, won that hole with a birdie 4 and the seventeenth with a 3. On the home green Matheson missed a four-foot putt for a win. and then failed with his return, Joblin winning the hole in 4 to 5, and the match 2 up. Championship Final The final resulted in a runaway win for Sime, whose match-playing ability, wide experience, and rock-like steadiness on the day gave Joblin, who plays off a 7 handicap, little chance. Sime produced bogey figures throughout the match to win by 8 and 7, his accurate approaching and deadly putting being the deciding factors in the game Joblin was always long and straight off the tee, but his play up to and on the greens was erratic, a weakness that was fatal against Sime’s unfailing Sime won the first hole in 4 to 5, after Joblin’s putt for a half stopped inches short, and the second was also won by Sime in 4. The third was halved in 5, as was the fourth. Then Sime won the fifth in 3, the sixth in 4, and the seventh in 4, and was 5 up. At the eighth, Joblin’s putt for a 3 lipped the hole, and Sime sank a fivefooter for a win in 3. Then he went on to win the ninth in 4 to be 7 up at the turn. The tenth was halved in 5, and Sime won the eleventh in 3 to 4. the match 8 and 7, and the championship. The results were as follows: SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Semi-finals A. G. Sime beat S. F. Lambert 3 and 2 P. A. Joblin beat J. E. Matheson 2 up. FINAL Sime beat Joblin 8 and 7. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Semi-finals R. B. Dick beat H. Brown 4 and 2. A. R. Timms beat G. M. Simpson 3 and 1. FINAL Dick beat Timms 5 and 4. At the conclusion of the tournament the various trophies were presented to the successful competitors by the club captain, Mr H. S. Ross, who congratulated the winners and extended the thanks of the St. Clair Club to all the visiting players, who represented clubs extending from Auckland to Invercargill, for the support they had given the tournament. Several of the visitors replied and complimented the club on the excellent condition of its course and the efficient and enjoyablemanner in which the tournament had been conducted.