GOLF

Southland Times, Issue 20615, 13 October 1928, Page 8

GOLF

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS DR. ROSS LEADING WITH 152 (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, October 12. The 1928 Golf Championship meeting was opened on the Balmacewan links to-day. After the very boisterous winds of the last week there was considerable anxiety over the weather conditions likely to prevail, but the morning broke with a bright sky and a light breeze. Conditions were quite different to those the players encountered in their preliminary practice round. These conditions prevailed throughout the forenoon, but at lunch time the wind increased again and the afternoon round generally speaking was not equal to that of the morning. To-day’s programme was the first tw’o rounds of the open championship. The result of the day's play shows the old hands still to the fore. The pride of place belongs to the local plaver. Dr Kenneth Ross, much to the delight of Dunedin golfers, but he is closely followed by other sterling players, and there are only 5 strokes between the eight leading players. There is no doubt that the abnormal and unseasonable condition.- prevailing had an effect on many of the players’ play to-day, the majority of whom seemed to have no confidence in themselves on the greens. As an instance of this, that sterling player, E. S. Douglas, took 40 to go out in one of his rounds. 15 shots of which were through the green and the other 25 shots were on the green. This experience was not confined to Douglas alone, but was very general. The difficulty was that the greens were very fiery and with the wind players were timid and feared hitting the putts. Had the weather been favourable there would have been little to fault the course with, and credit is due to the greenkeeper for what he has done under trying conditions. The outstanding rounds were those of Dr Ross and T. H. Horton in the afternoon, who both improved on their morning rounds. The present amateur champion, Sloan Morpeth, is well up, and he played his usual sound golf. After an interval of 15 years E. S. Douglas still plays his usual strong game, and will not be far away at the finish. Little was known of Gordon Richmond, the Nelson champion, but his plaV to day quite justifies his club title. The morning round of 76 made by the Shirley player. E. J. Pumphrey, was a surprise, and was an excellent exhibition of golf, which unfortunately he could not repeat in the afternoon. The West Coaster, A. G. Sime, played two steady rounds, suggesting that he has better things in his bag. Donald Grant's morning round was indifferent, but he improved nine strokes in the afternoon. H. P. Dale, the Eltham player, produced two good rounds, fulfilling the early promise he made of becoming a championship player. Rana Wagg will be Wellington's hope for the amateur. He can hardly fail to qualify. The two Christchurch player, E. M. Macfarlane and L. H. Campbell, disappointed. Green trouble was the cause of their high scores. The best card to-day was Horton’s 72. He started off strongly, doing the first six holes in 21, and it will take a good score to deprive him of the Jellicoe Cup on today’s play. The issue of the open is decidedly open, and there will be strong competition to qualify for the amateur. Details are as follows:

1st. 2nd Rd. Rd. Total Dr. K. Ross (Otag* .. .. 78 74 152 T. H. Horton (Masterton) .. .81 . ■’ 153 J. D. McIntosh (Gisborne) .. 76 78 154 R. C. Butters (Wellington) 76 78 154 S. Morpeth (Auckland 1 .. 76 78 154 A. J. Shaw (Naoier) .. .. 76 80 156 J. L. Black (Hutt) .. .. 79 78 157 E S. Douglas (Auckland) .. 80 77 157 E. B. Forrest (Timaru) .. .. 80 78 158 W. B. Reilly (Hutt) .. .. SO 78 158 G. Richmond (Nelson' 77 81 158 H. A. Black (Wellington! .. 79 80 159 S. C. Colbeck (Otago) .. .. 81 78 159 H P. Dale (Elthami .. .. 81 79 160 G. F. Barnett (Otago) 80 81 161 H. R. Blair (Christchurch) 77 85 162 J. A. Clements (Haglev) .. 81 81 162 F. Branch (Hamilton' .. .. S3 80 163 A. G. Sime (Westport ) .. .. 81 82 163 D. Grant (Christchurch) .. 86 , / 163 J. Rose (Wanganui) .. .. 83 81 164 R. W agg (Hurt) 82 82 164 C. B. Wight (St. Clair) .. 85 80 165 B. J. Smith (Akarana) .. 84 81 165 E. J. Pumphrev (Christchurch) 76 89 165 D. H. Butcher (Otago > .. . 87 79 166 M. Macbeth (Hamilton' 88 78 166 A. R. Blank (Christchurch) 83 84 167 E. M. Macfarlane (Christchurch) 82 85 167 G. W. Ritchie (New Ply. mouth' 88 79 167 B. V. Wright (Timaru i 83 84 167 H. McDougall ‘ Invercargill • 83 84 167 J. D. G. Duncan t Wellingtoni 85 82 167 F. C. Fryer (Napier) 86 81 167 T. Gallowav (Auckland) 82 86 168 J. R. Gallowav (Palmerston North 88 80 168 R. Fox (Avondale 86 83 169 N. Louisson (Auckland) 86 83 169 H. C. Stevens (St. Ciair) .. 86 83 169 \. E. Galway (Otago) .. .. 86 83 169 C. A. Seymour (Christchurch) 85 85 170 J. Lambic (N.Z. Golf Assn.i 84 86 170 J. E. Matheson (St. Clair) 89 81 170 H. W. Macfarlane (Christchurch i 86 171 A. N. Haggitt (Otago) .. .. 87 84 171 J. A. Mangan (Invercargill) 88 S3 171 M. H. Duncan (Wellington) 88 84 179! J. M. Hussey (Wanganui) 89 84 173 W. G. Wight (Otago) .. .. .86 87 173 G. C. Henderson (Otago) 88 85 173 W. Clavton (St. Clair) .. .. 89 85 174 W. D. Lawrence (Richmond Hill) 86 88 174 L. Ross (Nelson) 89 86 175 L. H. Marshall (St. Clair) 89 86 175 H. Brasch (Otagoi 92 83 175 J. Spence (Otago) 81 94 175 L. H. Camobell (Christchurch) 85 91 176 G. W. Melvin (Wellington) 88 89 177 G. P. Roberts (Wellington) 87 90 177 C. H. Stephenson (New Plymouth) 88 89 177 J. W T . W r ard (Wellington) .. 90 87 177 J. G. Dick (Otagoi 89 88 177 W. Lints (Buller) 84 93 177 W’. P. Anderson (Christchurch) 89 89 178 G. Cuthbertson (Oamaru) 92 86 178 S. Turner (Miramar) .. .. 89 91 180 J. W. Trewern (Otago) .. 93 88 181 J. W. Ross (Seafield) .. .. 92 90 182 T. D. Adams (Otagoi .. .. 92 92 184 R. L. Fisher (Christchurch) 95 89 184 C. G. Irvine (Otago) .. .. 92 93 185 E. J. Hocking (Otagoi .. .. 95 90 185 J. R. Laidlaw (Otago) .. .. 93 93 186 W. D. W’ood (Christchurch) 94 93 187 R. E. Tolhurst (Wellington) 96 94 190 R. S. Hawkes (Timaru) 99 103 202