AUSTRALIAN GOLFER PLANS TO GO ABROAD

Southland Times, Issue 23652, 29 October 1938, Page 15

AUSTRALIAN GOLFER PLANS TO GO ABROAD

The Australian professional golfer N. von Nida will be a competitor in next year’s British open championship. He intends to defend his title of Philippine’s open champion, and will then leave for the United States, playing in competitions there before leaving for Great Britain (says The Sydney Morning Herald). Since he met and defeated Gene Sarazen in a challenge match in Brisbane, and later Walter Hagen, von Nida has been eager to improve his game with the object of testing his skill against the best golfers in the world. He realized there were weaknesses in his game, and for the last couple of years has worked to eliminate them. His recent display in . winning The Lakes open championship with the record score of 277, showed that he has benefited as the result of this practice. He gave a flawless display of machinelike golf in this event. Locke’s visit to Australia provided von Nida with another chance of testing his ability. He beat Locke in a £5O a side challenge match on the New South Wales Club’s course at La Perouse, though von Nida was the first to admit that local knowledge played an important part in his victory. Later, in a number of exhibitions with Locke, von Nida was in no way overwhelmed and in a couple of matches more than held his own with him. Locke has a high opinion of von Nida’s play, and considers he will surprise the British professionals. Sarazen, Hagen and Locke all consider von Nida an excellent hitter of the ball, and his results overseas will be closely watched.

Von Nida said that he owed Sarazen and Hagen much for their advice and

encouragement He had realized his faults and was now much more confident about his ability to make a showing against the American and British players.