GOLF

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 61

GOLF

THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. LONDON, May 24. In the British amateur golf championship at Muir field the principal results of the first round were:— M‘Callum beat Hezlet, 4 and 3; Sinclair (Australia) beat Patterson, 6 and 4; Ouimet beat Williamson, 7 and 6; Mathieson beat A iderson, 6 and 5; Vigilano (France) beat Cavan, 1 up; Wethered beat Ulmer (America), 1 up; Guildford beat Birme, 7 and 6; Hallcain beat Tolley, 4 and 2; Harris beat T. A. T ranee, 3 and 2; W. B. Torrance beat Heatley, 2 and 1. In the second round the defeated players included Simpson and the Americans, Brooks, Fownes, Ryle, Rixey, and Mackenzie, sen.

Sinclair had the easiest win in the first round, when he defeated A. C. Patterson (North of England), 6 up and 4 to play. Sinclair played magnificent golf in the strong breeze. He went out in 38, only one over bogey, and turned five up. Patterson made the weakest strokes, Sinclair taking the first five holes—all at par. The sixth and seventh were halved. Patterson won the long eighth with a fine 4. Sinclair took the ninth in a similar manner, but at the tenth he was twice in the bunker and gave up. Then he took the eleventh in amateur par 4. Patterson holed out a six-yard put to * win the twelfth, but Sinclair took the next two holes in par 4 and 3, taking the match. The Daily Mail says that Sinclair will probably attract greater attention now that the spectators have seen the majority of the Americans. Although a featherweight, he had a masterly control of the ball in the high wind. He is one of those rare players who are able to impart draw to shots so as to gain. length without overdoing the spin.

May 25. In the first round H. Dickson beat Robert Gardner, 3 and2. In the second round Sinclair (Australia) beat M’Clure. 4 and 2; H. Scott beat R. Wethered 3 and 2; Douglas Currier beat Rex Hartley, 2 up. Layton defeated Waldon (America) at the nineteenth hole. Ouimet beat Vagliano, 3 and 2; Sweetser beat Ren wick, 6 and 4; Turner (New Zealand) had a walkover, Lawsmitb (Victoria) was scratched in the second round. Stuart Forsyth (Scotland) beat Ellison (the English champion) 2 up ; Dennis ivyle beat Roland Mackenzie, 1 up; A. W. Murray beat Mathieson, 6 and 2. The defeated players include Bernard Drew and the brothers William and Geoffrey M'Callum. The Hon. Michael Scott has entered the third roond.

May 26. In the second round of the amateur golf championship, J. Guilford beat MacKenzie Ross and 2, Harris beat Captain Pearson 6 and 5, Bobby Jones beat Alymer 5 and 4, Horocks beat NaMcain 3 and 1, Bristow beat Woodward (America) 3 and 2, Peattie beat the boy champion, Holderness 2 up, Boumphrey beat Jenkins (exchamion) 2 and 1, John Beck %eat Chick Evans 3 and 1, Grant beat Angus Hambrn 5 and 4, De Zoote beat Storey 4 and 3, Standish (America) beat Shaw 1 up. Third Round.—Watt* Gunn beat John Wilson 4 and 3. VV. A. Murray beat W. B. Torrance 4 and 3, the Hon. Michael Scott heat Kyle 2 up, Brewer (America) beats Turner (N.Z.) 2 and 1. Harry Sinclair (Australia) beat Major R. Kennedy 3 and 2, J. H. Board beat Peattie 1 up, Dunn beat Grant 1 up, Bobbv Jones beat Dickson 4 and 3, Sweetzer beat Ouimet 1 up, Guilford beat Angus Hambre 2 up, Harris beat Forresttr 4 and 2.

The winners include W. L. Hartley, Vagilano, Noel Layton, Gillies, Boumphrey, and Peacock (America). Those defeated include W. L. Hope. Though Sinclair defeated Major Kennedy 3 and 2, winning his wav to the fourth round, he played shockingly for the first nine holes, hooking with every club. His excellent putting alone saved him. After taking 43 out, Sinclair was at the top of his form later. He won the tenth, eleventh, twelfth, fourteenth, and fifeenth holes, and only a missed putt prevented him from winning the thirteenth. Brewer, who defeated Turner, has been so far an unknown player.

May 27. In the fourth round Brownlow beat Grant Peacock (America), 2 up; Watts Gunn beat Seymournoon, 5 and 3; M‘Master beat Brower (America), 2 up; the tion. Michael Scott beat ’Vagliano (France), 5 and 4; Robert Scott beat Harry Sinclair (Australia) 2 and 1; Cave beat Neel Layton, 2 and 1 ; Sweetzer beat M Cormack, 4 and 3; Bobby Jones teat Birnie, 7 and 6; Orme Bristow beat J. Guildford, 1 up; Harris beat Pugh, 4 and 3; Gillies beat J. Beck, 1* up. y ln the fifth round Brownlow beat Watts Gun, 3 and 2; Robert Scott beat Michael Scott, 2 and 1; Sweetzer beat Allan Cave. 2 and 1 ; Jamieson beat Bristow, 3 and 2; Jones beat .Harris, 8 and 6, Simpson teat Gillies, 6 and 3. The eight still remaining are Killey, Simpson, Robert Scott, Jamieson, Brownlow, and the Americans, Jones and Sweetzer.

May 27. Robert Scott found Sinclair in the poorest form, listless and never on the fairway in the first. Sinclair won the second through his opponent getting into a bunker twice. The next two holes were halved, Sinclair bunkering and Scott landing three putts short in the fourth. Scott topped his second shot and lost the fifth, while Sinclair got into a bunker at the sixth. He barely got out and lost the lead. He halved the seventh and won the eighth, ninth and tenth, Scott putting badly. Sinclair was then three up hut after this he collapsed in his short approaches. Sinclair lost the next four holes, twice taking three putts. His pulling of his tee shot into the rougl; was responsible for the loss of the sixteenth. Thus he lost five holes in succession, but he halved the seventeenth. The winner played for Britain against America in 1924, but his game to-day was not convincing. Sinclair threw away a good chance of reaching the semi-finals. May 28. In the golf amateur championship (sixth round) Jamieson beat Bobby Jones 4 and 3, Sweetser, beat Robert Scott, 2 up, Simpeon beat Killey 2 up, Brownlow beat Murray 1 up. The semi-finals will be played next weex, and the Sweetser versus Brownlow on Monday, and Simpson versus Jamieeon on Wednesday. The great American assault on the British amateur title escaped a devastating defeat only by the merest fraction. Jones’s sensational defeat by Jamieson, the young Scottish bakery manager, who is holder of the Glasgow championship, was fol lowed by the narrowest of escapes of the last of the remaining 25 Americans (Sweetser), who only, won at the twenty first hole. Jamieson played with great confidence throughout and never lost his lead. After winning the first two holes he became dormie Tour. Then the most intense excitement prevailed. At the fifteenth hole the ball hung on the lip, while amidst breathless excitement Jones fruitlessly endeavoured to save the match with a 12yarder. Jamieson was cheered to the echo. In the semi-final, however, he failed to set the seal on his success, being beaten by another young Scot. Tlius the shadow of the American victory still hovers.

In the final Sweetser beat Simpson 6—r 5. Sweetser led throughout with the exception of the sixth in the morning round where he was one down, but he drew all square at the seventh, won the eighth, and turned one up. Simpson was all square on the tenth, but Sweetser won the 12th and 13th and became two up, and Simpson never again overtook him. Sweetser finished in the morning four up and won the first, but in the afternoon Simpson reduced his lead to three at the fifth, but this was the full extent of his effort. Only for the second time in the history of the championship has an American won, the previous being the Australian-born Walter Travis in 1904.

The Standard’s golfing expert attributes the superiority of the Americans to the closest study of essentials creating a race of players striving to attain the same results by the same methods and producing made-to-pattem golfers with a better style than the Britisners. It noticeable that Muirfield nd all the Americans swung their dubs aiike. There was little difference between the Walker Cup players and the private competitors. Presumably the style, founded on the old Carnoustie school which the Scottish pioneers took to America, now permeated the professionals and amateurs. All putt alike, pushing out the elbows along the line of swing and not moving the wrists. On the other hand the British players are brought up to believe there is no royal road to success and adopt varying attitudes and different swings, resulting in a complet jumble of methods. Their putting is weirder still and any way is food enough so long as the ball is holed. he Americans’ supremacy is also due to keenness and constant practice. Andrew Jamieson is 21 years of age. He has an easy, elegant style, with a somewhat flat swing. He is playing in his first amateur championship tourney. He holds the Glasgow championship and records on several local courses. A tremendous crowd was treated to a series of thrills, culminating at the fifteenth hole, where Jamieson lay dormy 4., „YHe put his approach shot on the lip of 'the noie, leaving Janes a 12yd putt to get to keep the match alive. Amidst a dead silence Jones failed, and held out his hand to his opponent, saying, “You played well,’* after which came a prolonged ovation to the winner. Jamieson was steadiest on the outward journey. He beat Jones at the short game, though he was invariably outdriven.

THE OPEN JHAMPIONSHIP. LONDON, May 26. Asserting that he is still an Australian, though his accent suggests he ie nearly Americanised, J. H. Kirkwood has arrived and has entered for the open golf championship at Baint Anne's on June 22. He had the misfortune to break a small bone in his thumb in the swimming pool on board the Berangaria, and baa since been

unable to handle a club. He is going to Gleneagles to-morrow to settle down to quiet practice, and afterwards he hopes to have games with Popnlewell and Carnegie Clark. He is tne guest of the millionaire, Mr Boland, at Kincardine Castle. In an interview Kirkwood said: “I’m serious about it this time. I have teen playing well, and I think 1 will do better. My health is splendid. I have shaken off my old enemy, hay fever. I expect to be the fittest in the qualifying rounds at Sunningdale on June 16. It is probable that Hagen, and myself will go to Australia at the end of the year for exhibition games. Hagen is very keen to go, and 1 am overjoyed at the thought of revisiting Australia.”

OTAGO GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP. The Otago Golf Club championship was further advanced at the Balmacewen Links on Saturday afternoon, when the semi-finals were played. The results were:—Dr K. Ross beat Dr G. F. Barnett, 4-and 2. Play at the outset was not brilliant, Barnett inning the first hole in 5, and Iloss the second wilh a similar score. For the first nine holes Barnett was playing a steady game, combining splendid approaches with fairly a urate putting. The score was even at the seventh, but at the eleventh Ross was 3 up, and was playing consistently good shots. The next two holes were halved. Barnett making a determined effort to even the score. Ross won the fourteenth, but Barnett reduced his lead to 3 up on the fifteenth. Ross holed out at the sixteenth—4 up and 2 to play. Although Barnett played some excellent golf, Ross was slightly superior on the day’s play, and deserved his w\n. The other match, H. D. Butcher v. D. M.- Irvine, resulted in a victory for* Butcher by 5 up and 4to play. Butcher has now to meet Ross in the final. The third round of the Balmacewen Cup was also played, and the matches resulted as follows:—J. R. M. Lemon i>eat H; C. Rose, 3 and 2; J. Evans beat j. R. Bartholomew, 3 and 2; B. C. Haggitt beat T. V. Anson, 2 up; A. J. Siae beat J. C. Shand, 1 up. _