GOLF

Otago Witness, Issue 3772, 29 June 1926, Page 58

GOLF

LADIES’ OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. LONDON, June 21. In the first round of the Ladies’ Open Championship Mias Cecil Leitch defeated Mrs Britten Jones (South Australia), 6 and 4. In the second round Miss Leitch beat Miss Mary Mann (Melbourne) 7 and 5. Mrs Maxwell Fowler had a walk-over into the third round owing to her opponent scratching. Miss Wethered is not defending her title. Mrs Jones was unsteady and nothing like at her best. She won the first hole and then Miss Leitch outdrove her till Mrs Jones won the seventh. She then suffered an eclipse. Miss Leitch then vanquished Miss Mann who went off with a lead, but Miss Leitch squared at the fifth and won the next three. Miss Mann then had an epidemic of under-clubbing and topping and waa beaten at the thirteenth hole. June 22. Miss Burford beat Mrs Fowler (South Australia) 6 and 5. In the semi-finals of the women’s open tournament Miss Cecil Leitch beat Mrs de la Chaume 4 and 3; and Mrs Garon beat Mrs M‘Nair, 2 up. June 24. In the final of the women’s championship Miss Cecil Leitch beat Mrs Garon, 8 and 7. At the end of the morning round Miss Leitch was 9 up. LONG-DRIVING COMPETITION. LONDON, June 22. At St. Anne’s a long-driving competition on the eve of the opening of the championship was won by Compston with an aggregate of 790 yds 7ins. lie also won the individual drive with a drive of 288 yds. Curtis was second in the aggregate with 790yds 4in. THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. LONDON, June 23. The open golf championship was commenced at St. Anne’s-on-Sea under ideal conditions. The leading scores at the end of the first day were:—Hagen 68, Melhorn 70, Watrous and MacLeod 71, Bobby Jones 72, R. A. Whitcombe 73, Armour 74, J. R. Taylor, Havers, Duncan and Von Elm 75, Compston 76. Barnes 77, Mitchell, Williamson, Ray and Boomer 78, Ockenden, Renouff, Howard and Tolley 79, Gadd and Vardon 80, Herd, Kirkwood, and Popplewell 81, Braid 82. DOMINANCE OF AMERICANS. LONDON, June 23. Americans occupy seven out of the first eleven places. Howard opened well and reached the turn in 37, but he then began to slip, and took six at three separate holes. Kirkwood was all at sea with his second shots, which co6t him many strokes. He twice took two strokes to get out of bunkers. His challenge for the title is no longer dangerous. The Daily News says that if Hagen repeats to-day’s performance there will be few Britishers left in the third and fourth rounds seeing that all players 15 or more strokes behind the leader to-morrow will be eliminated. Hagen putted brilliantly and his steadiness was extraordinary. He never once left the fairway. His chip shots were peerless. All the spectators followed Jones, who started unsteadily and took 37 going out. Most of the spectators predicted his eclipse coming home against the wind, but he actually took 35 by sparkling golf. Melhorn missed several putts but his long driving was superb. Mitchell’s form suggested over-much golf. June 24.

In the Open Championship the leading aggregates are as follows:—Melhorn and Jones 144, Hagen 145, Watrous and M‘Leod 146, von Elm 147, Walker and Compston 150, Havers, French and Gadd 151, Williamson and Duncan 154, Robson, W. Ball, R. A. Whitcombe and Jolly 155, Gassiat and Mitchell 156, Kirkwood, C. A. Whitmore, and Barnes 157, Ray and Howard 158, Popplewell 161. Scores exceeding 158 do not qualify for the remaining stages. These include Boomer and Rex Hartley 160, Watts and Gunn 162, Roland Mackenzie 163 and Cyril Tolley 164.

June 23. The open golf championship concluded under ideal conditions, and was won by Bobby Jones (America,) with an aggregate of 291. Other scores were Watrous 293, Jurado and Melhorn 303, Taylor 304. C. A. Whitcombe 310 and Howard 316, Hagen 295, Mitchell 299, Macleod 301, French 503, Armour 305, Williamson 306. Barnes and Robson 307, Duncan 308, Kirkwood and Gadd 310, Braid and Havers 311, Ray 312, and Herd 318. The scores in the third round were:— Mitchell 72 (aggregate 228). Hagen 74 (219), Ray 74 (233), Braid 75 (232), M‘Leod 76 (222), Von Elm 76 (233), Armour 75 (225), Hefd 75 (232), Kirkwood 78 (240), Gadd 78 (229), Melhorn 79 (233), Duncan 80 _ (234), Havers 82 (233).

THE CHAMPION’S MODESTY. LONDON, June 25. The Daily Telegraph heartily congratulates Jones on winning the world’s premier golfing event in face of the fiercest opposition from British and American professionals. Jones is the most amazing golfer of all time, and is now dual champion of Britain and America. He is in every way worthy of this. He is extremely modest and shuns limelight like the plague. When 10,000 people acclaimed his victory he ran off and shut himself up in a corner of the smoke room. The magnitude of the victory stunned him. for he was engaged in a Titanic struggle with only one man, Watrous, who happened to be his partner. Both were on the verge of collapse in the fourth round. Jones was still two strokes behind at the fourteenth hole, and thereafter kept Watrous playing off, for the latter took three putts at the

fourteen, fifteenth and seventeenth and eighteenth. A RECORD SCORE. LONDON, June 25 Jones’s score of 291 equals Braid’s 1904 Prestwick score and is the lowest since the championship was extended to 72 holes. AMERICAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. NEW YORK, June 23. It is announced that the United States national open championship in which i Howard will be one of the three foreign contestants will be played at the Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio. There are 153 entries and the tournament will begin on July 8. An 18-hole round will be played on each of the first and second days after which the first 64 and the ties will play two 18-hole rounds on the third day. AN EXTRAORDINARY STROKE. GORE, June 24. A unique feat was accomplished by James Sinclair, playing on the Mokoia Golf Links, near Gore, yesterday. holed out in one over a 100yds stretch and a belt of pines. ST. CLAIR CLUB. The second qualifying round of the St. Clair Club championship was played on Saturday, and the following are the best aggregate scores:-C. B. Wight, 83 and 73-166; W. G. Wight, 79 and 78—167; W. Clayton, 83 and 80—163; J. Kilpatrick, 89 and 89— 178; F. Drake, 84 and 96-180. Junior Cup scores: H. Chapman, 96 and 93—189; W. Ramsden, 96 and 97—193; J. A. Paterson, 99 and 94—193; W. Sattertb waite, 95 and 90—194; A. I. W. Wood, 93 and 101—194. The handicap trophy was won by O. B. Wight with an excellent round of 78 (1 handicap)—74. _