MORPETH’S NEW YEAR CUP

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1933, Page 10

MORPETH’S NEW YEAR CUP

HOLIDAY GOLF AT HAWERA

R. P. BAIGENT BEATEN IN FINAL. c. McDonald wins handicap. G. Morpeth, playing a steady short game, won the South Taranaki New Year Golf Cup at .he Hawera Club’s tournament, which was concluded on the Fairfield links yesterday. R. P. Baigent was runner-up. - The. Fairfield New Year. Handicap was won by C. McDonald, with J. F. Strang, Hamilton, second. . The tournament was a success in every way. As befitted a holiday fixture the good spirit of the contests was a feature, but nevertheless the standard of play was high. Though his putting was not as steady as usual, Morpeth won the final on his short game. At the 14th he was one up and he sank a 20-foot putt for a birdie three. Baigent had a feasible 3 on but missed. Had the , hole gone the other way they would have been all square and the result might •• have been different. Morpeth’s 77 was a good round under the conditions and might easily have been a 75. As the most consistent golfer in the tournament he thoroughly deserved his win.

Morpeth Was through at the first but Baigent had. pulled on to the 18th green. Morpeth was. down in 3 and Baigent missed a long putt for a half. Both duffed their seconds at the Trough but both got their thirds away well, _ Morpeth's being the better. Morpeth laid his third five feet from the pin but missed the putt for a win. Baigent had the better drive at Exodus but Morpeth put his spoon' second on the green and his opponent going through took two. putts for a win- Morpeth made the longer drive at . Hummocks 'but was in amongst the rough on the right of the fairway. Both were down in bogey figures. At Crater Baigent hooked his tee shot and his mashie second stopped on the bank on the other side. He missed an impossible three and picked up, Morpeth having played the hole in an orthodox three. Neither played the sixth hole well though Baigent with a good chip left himself a possible four, only to miss a short. putt, and the hole was halved. They kept level at the seventh until Baigent sank a long putt to win in 4 to 5 and reduce his deficit to two. Though he was worse off the tee Baigent. left himself the easier four at the eighth, though both, were difficult. Morpeth ran a 20-footer just past the hole while Baigent’s putt from about 15ft. was a little pacy and, striking the back of' the hole, it jumped but. Baigent took another back at the ninth with a bogey four after almost holing his approach for a birdie. Baigent squared the match at Smoko, where IMorpeth’s putt lipped the hole. Morpeth hit a good drive at Plateau and it kicked the right , way. His lie was not good but he hit a fine second which went through. . Baigent’s drive .was poor and ‘though he, too, hit a, good secondit-:was' behind' a rise, Morpeth winning with, a birdie 4. Morpeth’s. tee shot at Cliff found , the green while Baigent’s-was duffed. Baigent skied his second: behind some humps. Morpeth just missed a two but won in 3 to 4. Both skied at the 13th; both their- seconds went into broken country on the right ,of the..green, and both failed to extricate themselves with : their thirds. .Baigent' won in. 5 'do G arid was one down. He hit a screamer at Fairfield and put his second handy. Morpeth followed a fair drive with a beautiful second and then , sank a 20-foot putt for a birdie 3- . Baigent was left with a 12-foot putt which he missed. . Baigent had his chance at the 15th, where he put his drive on the green.' With Morpeth. short with • his drive., and through with his second Baigent had to secure a 3 to win. . His first putt into the wind was weak; however, and he missed a difficult 3. The match finished on the 16th green, wflen Morpeth, after a .beautiful second, sank a 12-fqot putt for a birdie 3. The cards were:—

Morpeth. Out: 3 5 4 5 3 5 5 5 5 —40. In: 4 4 3 6 3 4 3 5 5—37—77. ' Baigent. ■; ... ' ■ ' Out: 4 5 5 5'4 5 4 5 4—41. In: 35454445 5-39-80. Results are:— CUP Semi-finals. ; . Morpeth beat Grace, 4 and •2. Baigent beat McKenzie, 3 arid 2. Final. Morpeth beat Baigent 3 and 2. HANDICAP. .Semi-finals. Strang beat Hegarty, 2 and 1. McDonald beat Zinsli, 3 and 2Finai.

McDonald beat Strang, 3 and 1. Second day putting: J. N. Anderson. Four-ball bogey: Buist and Wills, 4 up. Third-day putting: R. P. Baigent. Second bogey handicap: Morpeth and Morton, all square. . ; . Mr. R. C. Hay-Mackenzie, vice-presi-dent, prior to the presentation of prizes by Miss Tonks, daughter of the president, welcomed the visiting players and said his only regret was that they had not won more prizes. He thanked the committee, particularly the secretary, Mr. L. J. Bull. He considered the fixture had been most enjoyable. Mr.' R- G. Sellar replied on behalf of the visitors and congratulated the Hawera club on the course. The tournament was- a fine event and had been most' interesting. He thought the fixture would become increasingly important Summer golf was just really coming into its own.