GIBBS LEADS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27057, 16 April 1949, Page 10

GIBBS LEADS

QUALIFYING ROUNDS OTAGO GOLF TITLE RECORD NUMBER PLAYING A. Gibbs, the Otago plus 1 golfer and Dominion amateur champion, led the field by one stroke in the qualifying rounds of the Otago provincial championship played at Balmacewen yesterday. Conditions could not be described as favourable, and Gibbs’s first round of 71—the best gross score of the day—was an excellent effort. The defender of the Otago title, T. B. Ferguson, qualified second, and in third place was J. N. Lemon, who won the Dunedin amateur title a few weeks ago. The official starter, Mr J. W. Trewern, had an onerous job in sending away the field of 114, which is a record one for the event. The last three played the eighteenth hole as darkness jwas falling. The first two rounds of match play in the three events, senior, intermediate and junior, will be played to-day and the semi-finals to-morrow.

Only seven of the senior players bettered 80 strokes in the morning round yesterday. Gibbs (71). Ferguson (74) and Lemon (74) had a comfortable lead on the field. Gibbs covered the first nine in par figures, although he had to score three birdies to do it. and played winning golf over the second nine to finish two under bogey. His 76 in the afternoon round included a 7 at the eighth. He took four strokes to get out of a bunkei and finally holed a chip shot.

Ferguson’s two rounds of 74 were the essence of steadiness. In the afternoon he was two strokes over par after the first nine, but came home in 36, including a 6 at the last. Likewise, Lemon’s performance was a fine one under the conditions. A. H. Boyd, who qualified fourth, had the best afternoon gross score of 73 He played each half in bogey figures Players who did not qualify were F. W. Dixon, who has been playing consistently lately, and A. R. Timms, the promising young St. Clair player, whose rounds of 88 and 89 were not good enough.

One of fhe best performances of the day was that of D. Mearns, who led the intermediate field by 12 strokes. His gross scores were 84 and 85. N. G. Hay, a former Otago Club player who won the Otago title in 1029 and is now in the Colonial Service in Africa, qualified in the senior division.

Intermediate Championship R. Murray 82—82—164, J. R. Holloway 81—85—166, I. A. Forgie 83—83—166, T. V. Nelson 84—86—170, I. S. Fowler 81— 89—170, F. B. Thomas 83—89—172, E. Milburn 86—87—173, W. Peterson 84—90—174, J. L. Mathieson 90—85—175, F. A. Leslie 87— E. J. King 88—87—175, J. F. Andrew 91—85—176, G M. Kelly 87—90 177, F. R. King 92—86—178, A. J. H. Jeavons 91—87—178, M. B. Gunn 91—89 180. Junior Championship D. Mearns 84—85—169. P. Caldwell 93 88— G D Moore 92—89—181, R. W. Muirhead 94—88—182, R. O. Talbot 91— 91—182, C. J. Read 89—95—184, A. Malcolm 94 A. R. Dixon 89—95—184, J. W. Smeaton 89—97—186, W. Cleland 91— 95 Ft. J. Applegarth 91—96—187, W. A. Sharp 92—95—187, A. M. Turnbull 90— 97—187, J. H. Gilkison 92—96—188, E. N. Aslin 93—95—188, J. B. Robertson 95—93 188. Match Play To-day Senior.—Gibbs v. Whinam, Tyrrell v. Scouler, McLean v. Brown, Lemon v. Randle Ross v. Boyd, North v. Hay, Bennie v. Nicol, Ferguson v. Lemin. Intermediate.—Murray v. Mathieson, Kelly v. Fowler, Jeavons v. Milburn, E. J. King v. Forgie, Nelson v. Andrew, Peterson v. Gunn, Thomas v. F. R. King, Leslie v. Holloway. Junior. —Mearns v. Smeaton, Turnbull v. Talbot Aslin v. Malcolm, Applegarth v. Moore, Muirhead v. Sharp, Dixon v. Robertson, Read v Gilkison, Cleland v. Caldwell. Medal Competitions The two Medal rounds played in conjunction with the qualifying rounds resulted—Morning: A. R. Dixon 89—22—67, D. Mearns 84—15—69. Afternoon: L. D. Hastie 93—24—69. A. R . Foster 93—24—69.

Those who qualified were:— Otago Amateur Championship A. Gibbs .. .. 71 76 — 147 T. B. Ferguson 74 74 — 140 J. N. Lemon .. 74 75 — 149 A. H. Boyd .. 77 79 -P150 J. A. Seoufer .. 77 76 — 152 D. C. Bennie .. 79 78 — 157 L. C. Brown .. 80 77 — 157 N. H. North .. 82 77 — 159 L. B. Whinam .. 79 80 — 159 L. G. Lem in 80 81 — 161 J. H. Randle .. 82 79 — 161 H. S. Ross .. .. 82 80 162 T. C. Tyrrell .. 80 82 — 162 F. R. Nicol .. 80 82 — 162 A. McLean 84 79 — 163 N. G. Hay .. .. 82 81 — 163