AT HOKOWHITU LINKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 287, 5 December 1939, Page 4

AT HOKOWHITU LINKS

PROVINCIAL DISTRICTS’ TOURNEY CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS TO A. R. KITTO. The Wellington and Hawke's Bay provincial districts’ annual champion of champions’ tournament was played at Hokowhilu during the week-end and the outstanding player was A. R. Kitto, from Seafield, who gave John Hornabrook such a hard match in the final of the New Zealand championship, and who won four of the five events over the week-end, including the 36-hole stroke competition for the championship shield. The course was in good order, but the fairways and greens were slow after rain, and there was a "breeze” which was guty and almost at gale force. The scratch score for the course is 73, but, under the conditions, the course was at least four strokes harder. The feature of the day was the brilliant 71 recorded by A. k. Kitto in the first round. He played almost faultless golf, though he missed one short putt and was out of bounds at one hole, and at lunch-time he had a commanding lead of six strokes over G. P. Roberts, whose 77 was a really good effort on the day. Next in order were R. F. Kitto (78), H. A. Black (79) and W. G. Horne (79). There was no improvement in the weather after lunch except that there was no rain, and A. R. Kitto holed his chip for the 3 at the first hole to be away to a good start. He missed a short putt at the fourth and after under-clubbing for his second at Riverside he rimmed the hole and missed the 4. Again he lipped the cup at the eighth, which cost him 4, but he reached the turn in 36 to Roberts’ 41, and as long as he kept out of serious trouble the championship was as good as over. Roberts was 11 strokes to the bad when they started the return journey and with Kitto slipping strokes, Roberts, with a brilliant 37, gained five strokes on him, finishing, as he started the second round, six strokes away from the winner. At the conclusion of the tournament the trophies were presented by Mr. B. E. Keiller, the president of the Manawatu Golf Club. Following are the detailed results:— Champion of Champions. The Leading Aggregates.

Stroke Handicap. (36 holes.) A. R. Kitto (Seafield) 71—78—149 R. A. Nichols (O. Downs) 76—78—154 Best Gross Score Either Round. A. R. Kitto (Seafield) 71 Best Nett Score. First Round. A. R. Kitto (Sealield) . 71 o—7l N. Mabey (Buckley) 83—10—73 Second Round. E.'W. Clark (Devin) 82— 6—76 A. R. Kitto (Seafield) 78— o—7B R. F. Kitto (Seafield) 78— o—7B G. P. Roberts (Hutt) .... 78—0—78 R. A. Nichols (®. Downs) 83— 5—78 Best Morning Cards. The best morning cards were as under:— A. R. Kitto (71.) Out: 43345 5 43 3—34 In; 44444543 5—37 G. P. Roberts (77). Out: 44436554 3—38 In: 55344544 5—39 R. F. Kitto (78). Out: 4 4 5 3 5 5 5 4 3—38 In: 54454454 5—40 H. A. Black (79). 'Out: 454 3 5555 4-40 In: 44455435 5—39 W. G. Horne (79). Out: 4 5 6 4 6 5 5 3 4 42 In: 45245444 5—37

A. R. Kitto (Seafield) 71—78—149 G. P. Roberts (Hutt) 77—78—155 R. F. Kitto (Seafield) 78—78—156 W G. Horne (Hutt) 79—79—157 H. A. Black- (Miramar) 79—81—160 R. A. Nichols (O. Downs) 81—83—164 w G. Clark (Levin) 85—81—166 E. Henderson (Mast’ton) 82—84—166 W R. Tustin. (Shandon) ,84—83—167 M. Wilson (Wangaehu) 84—83—167