GOLF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19454, 13 November 1925, Page 4

GOLF

GREAT MATCH N.S.W. PRO. CHAMPIONSHIP I Playing great golf, W. Corry won the professional championship of New South Wales at Rose Bay, when he beat Carnegie Clark by two up and one to play. As a match it was the best seen for many a day, writes D. G. Soutar in a Sydney paper. The term “ding-dong” describes it aptly. In the morning round only four holes were halved with the players finishing “all square.” Corry’s long game was excellent, the great length and straightness being the outstanding feature of the match. He hooked into the rough once and lost the ball, but the only other blemish was a topped one at the 33rd—a critical stage of the game. He recovered well, but lost the hole through weak putting. Ono up and three to play, Corry found the bunker on the right with his tee shot. From an awkward stance he decided to play up the second fairway, the only direction in which he could get distance. A powerful recovery left him with a full brassy, as hard as he could hit, to reach the green. Clark meanwhile had followed up a good drive with an exceptionally fine second, which left him within easy range of the green. Corry’s Great Shot. Corry’s third to the green was the shot of the match, one from the clouds as it were. Well out on the second fairway, he had to carry the bushes on the right, and also the bunkers in front of the green some two hundred yards away, and against a stiff breeze. Few of the large crowd following the match saw the shot, and were astonished to find that the bail was within eight feet of the pin. Clark spared a spoon shot for his third, being satisfied to get on the green, as he was under the impression that Corry was in the bunker. Too strong, he left himself a nasty chip shot back, but negotiated it well, and was within an ace of bringing off a superlative shot. A little more pace would have done the trick but the ball was short with a difficult downhill putt to follow. He missed it, and with two for a win Corry made no mistake and retained his lead of two holes. The end came at the next hole, where both players had fine tee shots to the green, and a half to three ended the match in Corry’s favour. The turning point of the game was at the 26th, when Clark, having the honour, sliced his drive into a deep bunker and found the ball buried. He lost the hole in 5 to Corry’s 4. New Champion’s Rise For four holes previously Corry had not been hitting his approach shots well, and although keeping clear of trouble was showing signs of slipping. Clark’s mistake gave him his opportunity. He grasped it, and from then on never looked back. At the 29th he had two glorious shots to the green, and became two up, the first time there had been that margin between the players. Two halves followed, and Corry looked like losing the 32nd, but recovered with a fine putt for a half in 3. The new champion learned his game on the Bathurst course, and up to 15 months ago—when he turned professional—had never played on a grass green! He has adapted himself to the altered conditions with remarkable facility, and throughout the meeting has played high-class golf. His win was thoroughly deserved, and a popular one, the grit with which he stuck to Howard and Clark taking the fancy of the crowd which followed those games. “Bill” is a good sport, and will prove a decided acquisition to professional golf.