GOLF.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16421, 23 April 1919, Page 3

GOLF.

TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP. YOUNG BEATS SAUNDERS IN FINAL. The Taranaki annual championship tournament was concluded on the New Plymouth Golf Club’s links at Waiwrukaiho on Tuesday. The day was fine, but a strong, cold wind was blowing from the south-west. SEMI-FINALS. I. Saunders v. IV. Seifert. —This was probably the best match of the tournament, both players being right at the top of their form. Saunders was one down at the turn, but was square at the sixteenth, dormy at the ijeventeenth, and, losing the eighteenth, had to go to the nineteenth. This- has always been an unlucky hole .for Seifert, who has taken several championship finals to the nineteenth but without success. Again he failed, Saunders winning after a hard-fought game. H. L. Young v. G. Saunders. —Both competitors' played very steadily, Saunders (1 up) having the advantage at the turn. Still lup at the fifteenth, he lost the next two, and halved the eighteenth (always a hard hole to win), and so lost the match by 1 down. THE FINAL. H. L. Young v. I. Saunders.-—The final for the Taranaki championship was commenced shortly after 1 o’clock, and a close game was expected. It was felt that if Saunders could reproduce his fon'u of the morning he would be hard to boat. Certainly lie had all the worst, of the luck, and finding his ball in a bad hole after a long tee shot at the 11th, at a critical stage of the game, was most unfortunate. His driving was good, but his short game was weak. Young, on the other hand, played confidently from the start, and although not quite up to his best form, was very steady. From the Ist tee both players made good drives, were on the green in two, and halved the hole in four. At the 2nd, Saunders missed his putt and Young won. the hole in five. — Young 1 up. Both were on the third green in two, hut a weak putt by Saunders lost him the hole, Young going down in four. —Young up. Saunders made a very long drive, and with a long brassey was almost hole high in two, but slightly to the right. His approach was weak, whilst Young made a good approach with his fourth. Saunders was weak again with an approach putt and both failed to hole with the fifth ; halved in 6, At the 6th, both got well away. Saunders played a. long iron and pitched on the green, running through. Young was well through with his third. In spite of -weak putting, Saunders won In (5. —Young 1 up. For the 6th both players got long drives, Saunders getting a long second. Both wore on in three, and Saunders missing a somewhat easy putt, the hole was halved in five. From the tee Saunders ran through the seventh green, while Young was hole high to the right. Both found the green with difficult approach shots. Saunders missed a long putt, and Young, who was almost stymied, holed a difficult putt for a win.—Young 2 up. From a long drive at the eighth tee Saunders-made a poor second, and was on in four, while Young took five. Both missed the putt, and Saunders won m six.—Y’ouug 1 up. Saunders again outdrove his opponent, both were close, np to the ninth green in two. Saunders made the better approach, both missed the putt, and the hole was halved in fire. —Young lup at the turn. At the tenth Saunders, with a good shot, had bad luck in being bunkered just short of the green, whilst ids opponent was over the fence, but dropped with a penalty of one and reached the green in three. Saunders took two shots to get out of the sand and was on the green in four. Both missed long putts, Young winning in five. From a long tee shot Saunders very unluckily found a bad hole. He was past the green to the right with his third. Young was just short in two, on in three, and down in five—Young three up. With three clown and seven to go Young was through in the rough from tlic twelfth too. Saunders lay just short in the sand. Re was weak_ with his second, whilst Young left himself an awkward putt. The hole was halved in four. Young drove a straight hall, butgot a pooi- second. Saunders, with a longer ball, found the swamp and, making' a weak second, was just short in three. Young holed in five and was four up. At the 14th Saunders half topped his toe shot, and was through the green with his second. Young, with a nice approach, was on in three and out in five. Saunders missed a putt for the half, Y'oung thus winning the match and championship, five up and four to play. The winner received hearty congratulations upon his win. Last year he was defeated in the semi-finals by H. L. Kidston. This is the second occasion on which I. Saunders played in. the final for the championship. In 1909 he was runner-up to his brother, G. Saunders. IV. H. Rohertshaw acted as umpire. PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS. In the clubhouse is hung a handsome honours board showing the Taranaki champions of previous years. It has only recently been acquired. The names which appear on it are as follow ;

1906- C. Burns, Auckland. 1907 A. Duncan, 'Wellington. 1908 -11. G. ,Scott. Ngoniotu. 1909 — G. Saunders, Wanganui. 1910— J. Harold, Wanganui. 1911— G. Saunders, Wanganui. 1912 — W. B. Colbeck, Auckland. . 1913—H. L. Taylor, Miramar. 1914—L. Seifert. Manawatu. 1916—J. F. llitohic, Stratford. 1916 —L. Climie, Lower Hutt. 1918—F. S. Johns, New Plymouth. RESULTS OF OTHER. MATCHES. The matches played 1 on Tuesday resulted as follows: PAIRS BOGEY HANDICAP. A. S. Hasell (9) and A. Bewley (4), all square. W. H. Bobortshaw (5) and W. H. Wood (9), all square. H. Or. Elliott (7) and C. J. Bayley (8), all square. G. F- Dodds (9) and I. Dodds (13), 1 down. i G. Gudgeon (5) and P. O’Carrol (9), 1 down. J.Aenny (6) and D. S. Symo (14), 1 down. Major Cox (10) and G. Regan (8), 1 down. R. T. M‘Quade (10) and H. B. Bloxhain (16), 3 down. ,W. D. Ross (9), and A. Hay (14), 2 down. W. Muir (4) and C. S. Ross (12), 2 down. G. (7) and A. T. Spain (14), 2 down. The first three tied, and the draw resulted in their being placed in the order given above. BOGEY MATCH. H. . Stringer (8), 1 up. F. S. Johns (3), 4 down.