AMATEUR TITLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26791, 7 June 1948, Page 7

AMATEUR TITLE

Golf

OTAGO PLAYER INTO SEMI-FINALS D. L. WOON IN FORM P.A. TIMARU, June 6. A fully representative field played in the South Island amateur golf championships which began on Saturday on the Highfield course at Timaru. D. L. Woon (Canterbury), who represented New Zealand against the Australians last year, qualified first, eight strokes ahead of the runner-up, M. R. Blank (Canterbury), who tied with J. L. R. Mackay (Timaru) In m'tch play to-dav over 18 holes, Woon, G. A Ussher (Timaru), J. N. Lemon (Otago) and P. Durning (Timaru) came through to the semi-finals on a scratch score of 70. Woon returned 70 in the morning and 68 in the afternoon in the qualifying rounds. In the first round of the championship he had an eesy passage against J. B. Forrest (Timaru), winning by 7 and 6. In the afternoon he trailed E. G. Kerr (Timaru), 2 down,- but won 1 up after a sterling duel. The title holder, A. H. Boyd (Otago), was beaten 4 and 3 by Durning. In the second round, Boyd lost touch with his putter and Durning. who was chipping accurately, notched an occasional birdie to pave the way for his win. . , A hard frost this morning .made the course a little too sporty for championship play and although the greens around the holes had been covered, the surface played tricks at times and upset calculations. Ussher and A. Gibbs (Otago) were neck and neck throughout their firstround match, the game being all square at the turn. Gibbs was 1 up at the sixteenth but lost the next two holes, three-putting on the last green. The former New Zealand amateur champion. B. V. Wright (Otago), wont down to his club mate, J. N. Lemon. The play of both was erratic, Lemon winning on ’the last green. The scores were:— Qualifying Round D. L. Woon (Canterbury) 70—68—138, M. R. Blank (Canterbury) 74—72—146, J. L. R. Mackay (Timaru) 72—74—146, E. G. Kerr (Timaru) 76—71—147, J. A. McCausland (Otago) 73-74-147, B. V. Wright (Otago) 76—71—147, .A. Gibbs (Otago) 77—71—148. J. N. Lemon (Otago) 72—77 149, A. H. Boyd (Otago) 77—74—151, J. B. Forrest (Timaru) 78—73 —151, N. C,.Martin (Timaru) 78—73—151, S. H. McKechnie (Canterbury) 75—77—152, I. Wilby (Timaru) 78—75—153, G. A. Ussher (Timaru) 77—76—153, P. Durning (Timaru) 76—77 153, H. J. Gosset (Canterbury) 81—<3 — 154. Championship Results First Round.—Woon beat Forrest, 5 and 4; Kerr beat Wilby, 6 and 5; Ussher beat Gibbs, 1 up; Martin beat Blank 3 and 2: Lemon beat Gosset, 1 up; Wright beat McKechnie. 1 up; Durning beat McCausland. 2 and 1; Boyd beat Mackay, 1 up. Second Round. —Woon beat Kerr, 1 up; Ussher beat Martin, 7 and 6; Lemon beat Wright, 1 up; Durning beat Boyd, 4 and 3. In the morning, Woon plays Ussher and Durning meets Lemon.