GOLF

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 April 1939, Page 7

GOLF

PROVINCIAL TITLE. WON BY J. P. HORNABROOK. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Finishing with the brilliance of a true champion, J. P. Hornabrook, former New Zealand open and amateur champion, won his fourth Wellington provincial golf title by defeating H. A. Black in the final over 18 holes on the Hutt links yesterday. 5 and 4. The match was decided on the fourteenth green, where Hornabrook downed _ a 10-foot putt with superlative confidence gained largely by sinking 30footers at the tenth and twelfth greens for birdies and a 15-footer on the thirteenth also for a birdie. All the dramatic incidents were provided by Hornabrook, who dominated the final as he dominated the field from the outset. With constantly sound drives, some glorious secqhds and a series of deadly putts, he .afforded his opponent practically no opportunity of recovering from an indifferent start caused by putting lapses. Nor was the going by any means easy for Hornabrook, who found the bunkers on four occasions, but recovered magnificently. Hornabrook was two up at the turn, but it was thereafter that the fairsized gallery saw him at his best, as he reeled off the next five holes in two under par. Conditions were ideal when Hornabrook and Shelly and Black and Quinn contested the semifinals in the morning. Hornabrook took 37 for the first nine to be 3 up on Shelly. He did the next five holes in one under fours, the match finishing on the 14th green with Hornabrook 5 up and 4 to play. At the 12th hole Shelly appeared assured of a win after a magnificent second to within eight feet of the pin. Hornabrook’s second was out to the right, but his approach stymied Shelly, who then ran past the hole, but stymied his opponent with his return putt. However, a delightful chip shot was holed by Hornabrook. Black began with two birdies against Quinn, but was hard pressed all the way, his opponent putting up a bold fight. They turned all square, but errors off the tee by Quinn placed him in a difficult position. Again he fought back with a rare display of undismayed match temperament. Black was 1 up at the 14th. The 15th and 16th were halved. At the 17th Black played ao glorious second to within 10 feet of the pin, and won the hole and the match when his opponent approached too strongly. Putting lapses at the first three holes proved the undoing of Black in the final. He took three putts at the first, second and third holes, and was 3 down. The fourth was halved in bogey figures after a long putt by Hornabrook, for a birdie, rimmed the hole and stayed out. Both had bad lies at the fifth for their seconds, and were content to halve the hole in fives. Hornabrook drew 4 up at the sixth, a beautiful iron approach and two putts giving him a bogey to Black’s five. The latter gave a taste of his quality by getting a birdie to win the seventh, chipping up beautifully from an awkward lie to within 10 feet of the hole, and then sinking his putt. The eighth was halved in fours after Hornabrook had recovered magnificently from a bunker. At the ninth he three-putted, Black reducing the deficit to two up.

Hornabrook was again in a bunker at the 10th, but recovered well, and sank a 30-foot putt to win the hole in a birdie 3. The short 11th was won by Black, but thereafter Hornabrook was the only player in the picture. A drive straight down the fairway at the 12th was followed by a good approach. With superlative confidence, Hornabrook then sank his second 30-foot putt for a birdie three, to become 3 up. He won the 13th in a birdie four, and the 14th in par figures, to win the match 5 and 4. Detailed results of the day’s play are: — Wellington Championship. Semi-finals: J. P. Hornabrook (Masterton) beat J. Shelly (Miramar), 5 and 4; H. A. Black (Miramar) beat L. Quinn (Waiwetu), 2 and 1. Final: Hornabrook beat Black, 5 and 4. In the final of the special flight E. S. Thomson beat G. Tustin, 2 and 1. Finals of the other flights resulted: —No. 1, E. J. Moriarty beat L. F. Potter, 5 and 4; No. 2, J. A. Wilson beat R. H. Rawlinson at the twentieth; No. 3, D. L. Irwin beat W. C. Wedderspoon, 8 and 7; No. 4, C. L. Maloney beat A, S. Wiren, 4 and 2; No. 5, H. S. Hand beat F. C. Pears, 4 and 2. MASTERTON CLUB GAMES. DRAW FOR SATURDAY. The following is the draw for a medal competition to be played in conjunction with the first round of the net aggregate on the Lansdowne links on Saturday by members of the Masterton Golf Club: — A grade. —C. Faulknor v J. P. Hornabrook; T. H. Horton v C. R. Boys; C. Campbell Heard v J. B. McPherson; E. Henderson v A. Saunders; R. B. Cameron v C. Torr; H. L. Esau v C. R. Judd; J. D. Palairet v G. M. Ross; F. B. Tatham v W. E. Holdgate; J. Coom v G. Falloon; R. Plummer v L. Kibblewhite; J. Jameson v W. Percy; E. B. Booth v T. Horton, Junr.; N. Moore v R. C. Hodgins; A. R. Todd v S R. Divers; R. McKenzie v N. M. Irwin; W. H. Robieson v E. W. B. Hornabrook; F. J. Miller v A. J. Drew; D. T. Herbert v J. E. Jenkins; C. Kyngdon v H. P. Hugo; J. Donald v L. Connolly; K. D. Duncan v N. H. James; R. Page v N. M. Irwin; N. G. Whiteman v W. Batty; H. F. Coom v A. H. Daniell; W. A. Todd v H. B. Berncy; G. Brown v J. A. Card; D. Stratton v S. E. Burridge; C. C. Marsack v J. G. Thompson; F. M. Cunningham v W. N. Snowsill. B grade.—J. E. Falloon v F. C. Stowell; J. Gray v G. R. Booth; W. T. Eiby v R. Bassett; A. C. Gawith v C. Perry; J. Shearer y A. Caselberg; S. A. Mannering v W. A. Wardell; L. B. Maunsell v L. T. Daniell; J. G. Bee v W. J. Rew; D. Donald v R. E. G. Lee; N. H. Prior v Dr Parr; A. F. Stewart v H. J. Nitz; H. H. Daniell v E. L. Nitz; S. J. Gill v J. Ninnes; J. C. Forsyth v R. Gilbert; W. H. Saunders v H. J. Brass; F. Smaill v H. J. Francis; J. V. Reid v E. G. Norman; H. H. Pavitt v C. C. Cook; G. W. Sellar v H. A. Harcombe; G. Cowie v F. J. Fuller; G. R. Joy v J. H. Cunningham. Any player not in draw is asked to get in touch with the secretary, and anyone unable to play must advise his partner immediately.