THE GAME OF GOLF

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1934, Page 4

THE GAME OF GOLF

THORNE DOES FINE ROUND CENTENARY OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. CHANCES OF AMERICANS BRIGHT.

(By

“Stance.”)

There is no doubt the New Plymouth Golf Club’s course at Waiwakaiho is a summer course. With the advent of spring its condition improves out of all knowledge. At present it is in splendid condition, and this was reflected in the scoring in the Captain’s trophy competition on Saturday. Rarely if ever has there been such a galaxy of good cards in a four ball competition. There were no less than 14 cards of 5 up or better. Tiie winners were A. Thorne and G. E. Jago, who came in with the great card of 10 up. Though Jago played his part, much of the credit is due to Thorne, who played an inspired round. Commencing at the tenth he opened with a fine five. He dropped a stroke at the next and another at the 13th, but obtained a two at Moses, where he sank a five feet putt. He missed his four at the 16th but two splendid fours at the 17th and 18th saw him complete the nine holes in 37. At the first he dropped a stroke, but he recovered at the second, where he holed a chip for a three. The next four holes were completed in scratch score figures. He collected two fine birdie fours at the seventh and eighth and came to the ninth with a two to equal the course record of 71. . He found the green with a beautiful iron but putting boldly for his tvzo overran the hole and missed the return. It was a splendid effort. The outstanding features were his accurate iron play and his steady putting. Jago must be given full credit for his share in the win, as he in many instances obtained the half, thus allowing Thorne to putt for the win.

Champion of Cliampions Contest. The annual Taranaki champion of champions contest and the North v. South teams match will take place at Hawera at the week-end. This appears to be G. M. Chong’s year and the New Plymouth title-holder will keep all the other champions very busy. This event and the teams match will provide a good line for the selection of the provincial team to face the British players at the end of December.

New Plymouth Visits Fitzroy. Committeemen and prominent members of the Nev/ Plymouth club paid a visit to Fitzroy at the week-end. The visitors were much impressed with the new course, especially with the great progress made. The scoring generally was good, H. W. Kirkby excelling himself with a great 76. One advantage of a seaside course was seen when a few of the party indulged in a half hour in the surf as soon as the game was over. During the next few weeks the workmen at Fitzroy will be busy transplanting the kikuia grass, especially on the lower terrace. This grass, which has met favourable comment from all visitors to the course, will eventually provide the course with splendid, fairways that will be at their best in the summer time. Experiments are to b.- carried out on the 12th and 13th greens with the Onehunga weed and should this thrive on the sandy soil it should not be long before the greens will show a decided improvement.

Big Melbourne Events. The most important golf fixture ever held south of the line will open on November 15 at Melbourne in the Centenary open championship. The field has come up to expectations. There will be Gene Sarazen, winner of two American and a British open, Densmore Shute, a British open winner, Craig Wood, . who tied with Shute, Paul Runyan, the American P.G.A. champion, Leo Diegel, who has won the.P.G-A. title twice, Joe Kirkwood, the Canadian open winner of 1933, Hon. Michael Scott, British amateur champion in 1933, Jack McLean, Scottish and Irish amateur champion, and A. J. Shaw, New Zealand open champion. This is a wonderful array to do battle with Australia’s best. The British amateurs and Sarazen and Kirkwood have been in Australia some time and should be well acclimatised.. The other Americans have only just arrived, but they have struck form very quickly and made short work of the Australian team on Friday and Saturday last.

Americans’ Strong Hand. The Americans appear to dominate the situation, and Sarazen is already a strong favourite. He is a proved campaigner and one who has plenty of courage. He is sure to draw the gallery in the final round. Runyan is a great player who will be suited by the fast courses. K. Y. Laffoon, Craig Wood and Shute can all be depended upon for solid efforts. Jack Mac Lean should prove the best of the British team, while Bolger and Spence should uphold Australia’s honour. New Zealand’s interest will centre mainly round Shaw and Douglas, both of whom have been on the scene of action for nearly a fortnight. Lawson Little Outstanding.

Without attempting to discount Henry Cotton’s great victory in the British open championship, Lawson Little must be accounted the outstanding golfer of the year. The British and the American amateur championships are hard to win, yet Little carried off both titles and did it with consummate ease. Only once during the progress of both events was he really seriously in danger of defeat. That was in his semi-final game with Leslie Garnett in the British event. He always appeared to have something in reserve and to “produce the goods” when necessary. At Prestwick when faced with Wallace, the giant killer in the final, he broke loose and burned up the famous Scottish course as it had never been before. Similarly in the American he ploughed his way through to the final where he produced a glorious 69 in the first round to the dismay of his opponent. His mighty Irives, his accurate irons and splendid putting touch leave him without a vulnerable spot, and there are plenty who expect him to give the professionals as much trouble in the open championships next year as Bobby Jones was some years ago.