GOLF

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19960, 19 November 1934, Page 7

GOLF

RICH CENTENARY TOURNAMENT WON BY UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received November 18, 11.5 p.m.) MELBOURNE, November 18. With a brilliant third round of 69, and a final round of 72, Thompson, the American professional, with an aggregate of 283, won #in dashing manner the Centenary open golf championship, receiving £IOOO as first prize. When he holed his last putt of 10 feet he turned a somersault on the green to show his delight. A gallery of 6000 persons followed the play. As was expected, all United States players took the leading places, though E. Naismith, the Victorian professional, played excellent golf to finish fourth. Steadiness characterised his play, his only lapses being three putts each on the seventeenth and eighteenth greens. With 36 holes to play, 68 out of the original 130 entrants set out. All eyes were on Thompson, Cooper, Sarazen, Diegel and Ezar. Cooper, who was level with Thompson at the end of Friday’s play, lost his position through poor putting at several holes, including a painful miss of a three-footer. His long game was excellent throughout. Inferior putting also caused Sarazen’s downfall. Ezar kept pace with the leaders until he began missing putts, and was caught by the bunkers. Missing seven simple putts in the first round, Laffoon wrecked his chances when his iron tee shot went into the bunker at the thirteenth. He hurled the club to the ground, breaking it. Diegel had bad luck throughout the day, especially bn the greens, when many 10 footers just missed. The only New Zealanders who qualified in the final were A. J. Shaw and Watt. Both kept long figures. Shaw 152 159 311 Watt 155 172 327 The New Zealanders who did not qualify on Friday were: Douglas 83 76 • 159 Lambie .. 82 79 161 Shelley 93 85 178 Leading Scores The leading scores are as under:— First Final 2 Days Day Total Thompson (U.S.A.) . 142 141 283 L. Diegel (U.S.A.) . 144 145 289 Gene Sarazen (U.S.A.) 143 147 290 E. Naismith (Victoria) 146 144 290 H. Cooper (U.S.A.) . 142 149 291 K. Laffoon (U.S.A.) . 144 148 292 J. McLean (Britain) 146 148 294 Craig Wood (U.S.A.) 146 150 296 Ezar (U.S.A.) ... 143 153 296 Joe Kirkwood . . . 149 149 298 F. W. McMahon (South Australia) 150 149 299 V. S. Richardson (U.S.A.) 146 153 299 Rymill 149 151 300 Kelly . 148 152 300 V. Shute (U.S.A.) . 151 151 302