KEEN GOLF FINAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19374, 24 December 1932, Page 16

KEEN GOLF FINAL

ENGLISH LADIES TITLE Winner Permitted a Pick-Up After one of the most gruelling finals ever seen in women’s golf, Miss Diana Fishwick won the English ladies’ championship on the Royal Ashdown Forest course on September 30. Miss Fishwick, who thus won the title at her second attempt, defeated Miss Beryl Brown by 5 up and 4 to play, and at the finish both were practically ‘all in.’ The new champion finished the first round four holes up, but Miss Brown was certainly the victim of a curious misfortune. This was at the second hole of the second round, where Miss Fishwick, still four up. pulled her second into a cart-track which cuts across the fairway. Miss Fishwick asked the referee whether she could pick up. He glanced at his score-card, on the back of which the local rules are printed, and replied “Yes, you may lift without penalty.” Miss Fishwick proceeded, to win the hole in five, and Miss Brown made no protest, obviously not aware that the local rule which, until some twelve months ago, permitted a player to pick out of the cart-track without penalty from any shot, has now been modified, so that only tee shots may be picked up.

This incident may have had some effect upon the ultimate result, for, apart from this episode, the match was just a grim struggle between two golfers of great ability. Miss Fishwick was nine up with eleven holes to go. Miss Brown set her teeth and fought back in characteristic Lancashire fashion. She won the eighth, the tenth, and the eleventh holes.

Six down with seven to play! A hopeless prospect it seemed, but Miss Brown was not done with yet. She shatched a half at the twelfth, and fought on doggedly. The end came at the fourteenth, where Miss Brown badly muffed a recovery shot.