GOLF

Southland Times, Issue 19345, 10 September 1924, Page 6

GOLF

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS YESTERDAY’S PLAY (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 9. There were good weather conditions ~for the continuation of the New Zealand Golf Championship tournament at Middlemure links to-day, and some good play was shown in the principal events. The course and greens were in fairly good order. Sixteen competitors tried their skill and fate in the second round of the Amateur Championship event. Of these, eight provided keen and attractive contests. The first of those contestants were K. O. Gardner and G. F. Gunson, and they had to play an extra hole to reach a decision, Gunson winning by superior putting in even circumstances. The best match of the series was that between T. H. Horton and R. D. Wright. It was in every way a splendid contest, Wright, the young Aucklander, winning one up. A distinctive feature of the match between J. L. Black and J. C. Bidwell, was the sensational recovery made towards its close by Black, who transformed an apparently certain defeat into a narrow victory. The present holder of the Championship, J. Goss, of Wanganui, had an easy win against C. A. Seymour, the Christchurch representative, but it was a matter of promise for subsequent results that Goss regained something like his true form. In the other four matches, the winners were not seriously challenged. Some very fine golf was displayed by competitors in the semi-finals of the Professional Championship. E. J. Moss, of Auckland, first succeeded in defeating G. B. Forrest, thus securing an opportunity of winning the double championship. His rival in the final will be J. Mclntosh, who decisively defeated R. C. Butters. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. Results in the second round of the Amateur Championship competition were: — G. F. Gunson (Maungakiekie) defeated R. O. Gardner (Maungakiekie) at the 37th hole. R. D. Wright (Auckland) defeated T. H. Horton (Masterton) 1 up. L. Quinn (Eltham) defeated R. M. George (Maungakiekie) 5 and 3. J. Harold (Wanganui) defeated W. B. Golbeck (Auckland) 8 and 7. J. L. Black (Hutt) defeated J. C. Bidwell (Wairarapa) 1 up. J. Goss (Wanganui) defeated C. A. Seymour (Christchurch) 8 and 6. H. B. Lusk (Auckland) defeated J. L. Pettley (Miramar) 6 and 5. A. E. Conway (Miramar) defeated F. C. Fryer (Napier) 9 and 8. PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. Matches in the semi-finals of the Professional Championships resulted:— E. J. Moss (Auckland) defeated G. B. Forest (Timaru) 1 up. J. Mclntosh (Hutt) defeated R. C. Butters (Wanganui) 4 and 3. In a stroke handicap, played to-day, E. L. Bartleet and H. P. Dale tied with 76 nett. The Consolation Bogey Handicap, for professionals, was won by Blair, 4 up. COMMENT ON THE PLAY. TWO GREAT MATCHES. EXCITING CONTESTS. (Our Special Reporter. AUCKLAND, September 9. To be 3 up and 4 to go, and yet win one up was the notable feat of Black, a young Hutt player, in his match with Bidwell. It was a most interesting game. Black led 1 up at the fourth. Both got good tee shots at the fifth, and Black placed his second on the green with the brassey. Bidwell, with a magnificent shot, put his inside, and holed for 3 and a win. His approach at the next was bunkered, and he gave up the hole. Black became 2 up with 3 at the 7th, and the next three were halved. At the 11th Bidwell put his tee shot into the river, dropped another ball, and laid his third dead, halving the hole in 4. Bidwell squared the game by winning the 12th in 4, and the 13th in 2. His putt here was remarkable, for he was stymied, and the ball ran uphill and back again into the hole. Bidwell won the 15th hole in 4, and halved the 16th with an Bft putt. He followed this up by putting his second on to the green at the 17 th, which he won. The 18th went to Black, and Bidwell, who had been bunkered at this hole, finished the morning round 1 up. In the afternoon, Bidwell again got 3 at the fifth, but lost the 7th after landing in the gorse. Black also took the Bth, making the match all square. Bidwell then went ahead again, and was 2 up at the 12th. Black was hard put to it to halve the 13th, but laid a fine niblick approach from near a sand bunker to within three feet of him. Bidwell holed in 3 from the edge of the green at the 14th and was then 3 up and 4 to play. Black's remarkable recovery now commenced. He won the 15th through Bidwell having bud luck to ground his club accidentally in a bunker, and picking up. At the 16th, Black was nicely on in 2, and although he missed a sft putt, Bidwell did likewise for half, and the Hut player won in 4 to 5. The 17th was also won by Black in 4 after getting a beautiful second on to the green, and the match was all square. Playing the last hole, Black was nicely on in 2, and down in 4, Bidwell just failing with his putt for half. Black thoroughly deserved his win, but Bidwell was unlucky in going off his wood in the last few holes.

A splendid contest between Horton and Wright attracted a large gallery, and proved to be the outstanding event of the second round of the Amateur Championship. The first 6 holes were halved. Wright laid unplayable stymies on both the second and third greens. After that the golf of each player was patchy. Both were driving well, but Horton did not play his approaches too well. At the seventh hole, he put his tee shot into a bunker, Wright getting on the green with his first, and holing out in 3. Wright won the Bth, and at the a long hole, he hooked his tee shot into the rough, and finally holed out in 6, as against Horton’s 5. The short hole, 112 yards, was halved in 3, the eleventh in 4. the twelfth in 5, and the thirteenth in 3. Both were in the rough with their tee ««hots at the next hole, Wright’s shot striking a. lady. The hole was finally halved in 5. Wright at the fifteenth hole placed his second shot. on the green, and won the hole in 4 to 5. After good work in the fairway, Horton was again stymied on the green, but succeeded in halving the hole in 5, while at the 18th Wright beautifully placed his approach shot, and won the hole in 4, finishing the round 4 up. There was no slackening of the interest in the second round. Horton, who was 5 down after the nineteenth hole, made a great effort to overtake his opponent, and managed to reduce Wright’s lead to 4. The young Aucklander played well against, the attack, and won a splendid fight, 1 up. These were the most notable matches of the day. NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL MEETING. AUCKLAND, September 9. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Golf Association, Mr R. C. Kirk, who presided, said that the Council had in mind not only the bringing out of a couple of professionals from Britain, but the matter of having among the professionals imported a man with some reputation in golf course architecture, with a view to the general improvement upon the right and most economical lines. Another suggestion being considered by the Council was another annual tournament in New Zealand at Nome centre, but it would have no chance of getting the open championship for a number of years.

It was resolved to direct the Council to ask the Ladies’ Golf Union to request members to pay a levy of 2/- imposed on all players, the proceeds to be used for the good of the game.in assisting smaller clubs that could not support a professional coach. The Chairman indicated that Shirley Club, Christchurch, would get the next championship if the links were ready. The meeting adopted a recommendation to the Council to consider the present method of playing the open and amateur qualifying round as one event. VICTORIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. DR. ROSS DEFEATED. MELBOURNE, September 8. The golf championship meeting is progressing in fine weather. The early rounds in the amateur championship were keenly contested. Dr. Ross, of Dunedin, was defeated. In the professional golf championship, Howard (New South Wales) beat Lefevre (Victoria) 3 up and 2 to play. MATCHES AT OTATARA, DRAW FOR WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY. The following are the draws for the medal match to lie played at Otatara to-day and on Saturday. —For Wednesday.— I. Carr (10) plays R. Somerville (10). J. Mackintosh (10) plays T. W. Vickery (20). C. F. A. Jones (22) plays E. E. Broad (24). W. Thomson (16) plays A. Gilkison (22). —For Saturday.— C. W. S. Cox (12) plays J. C. Templer (2). Dr Ewart (14) plays E. Clare (14). F. A. Barclay (9) plays R. B. Caws (14). J. F. Lillicrap (14) plays C. A. Masters (2). C. M. Smith (8) plays J. Cuthill (12). J. P. Butler (24) plays R. R. Binney (17) N. E. Hubbard (24) plays E. M. Gilmour (22). G. F. Ferguson (16) plays B. Hewat (21). Dr Mac Gibbon (20) plays M. H. Mitchell (22). D. MacPherson (24) plays B. Tangney (15). P. C. Clulee (24) plays A. Deaker (20). J. Hain (24) plays J. B. Reid (18). K. De Castro (16) Splays C. C. Jennings (24). A. B. Haggitt (22) plays A. E. Smith (18) J. McLeod (24) plays A. Dickens (16). C. B. Tapley (16) plays A. W. Morgan (19) F. Hinton (24) plays Dr Owen Johnston (24). D. R. Campbell (20) plays Rev. Thompson (24). A. F. Grenfell (20) plays J. D. Mitchell (22). A. B. Macalister (24) plays V. Raines (24). W. Satterthwaite (24) plays S. M. Macalister (24). R. W. Jack (24) plays D. T. Maxwell (24). W. R. Rea (24) plays R. G. J. Wilson (24). THE WAKATIPU CLUB. CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS. (From Our Correspondent.) The Wakatipu Golf Club’s Championship has now narrowed down to F. Stoop and W. Tarrant for the men and to Sister Mcßae and Mrs McAdam for the ladies. Stoop beat Dr Anderson 6 up and 4 to play; W. Tarrant beat D. F. Macdonald 5 up and 4 to play. Sister Mcßae beat Mrs Gilkison 1 up on the 10th hole, and Mrs McAdam beat Mrs Curtis 1 up on the 12th hole. The ladies only play 9 holes, but in their case they have to continue on to decide the winner. A great improvement is being shftwn all round. The finals for the Championship will be played on Saturday. BILLIARDS EXCEPTIONAL BREAKS. SYDNEY, September 9. (Received September 9, 11 p.m.) A billiards tournament, in which Falkner, Walker and Lindrum are participating, has been responsible for a number of exceptional breaks, Falkner’s highest, 1001, breaking his own previous record. Lpter. Lindrum topped Falkiner’s record, carrying his overnight unfinished break of 738 to 1217, beating his own previous record.