CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17835, 7 October 1929, Page 8

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF.

THE AMATEUR TITLE. WON BY SLOAN MORPETH. GREAT STRUGGLE WITH .BLACK. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WANGANUI, Saturday. The final of the amateur golf championship to-day resulted in a great struggle between Sloan Morpeth, of Auckland, and J. L. Black, of Hamilton. Morpeth won at the 3~th hole. Black won the first horn in 4 by sinking a 10-foot putt. The second was halved in perfect fours. Morpeth was short with his approach putt at the third and Black laid him a stymie, which he failed to negotiate. Black won in 4. Black played the fourth badly and conceded the hole. The fifth was halved in a good 3. Morpeth won the sixth with An Eagle Three and squared the match. Black threw away a chance of a win at the seventh by putting too strongly. He was on in two and took 3 putts against Morpeth’s one putt. At the eighth Morpeth missed an easy putt. Both had excellent drives at. the ninth. Morpeth sank a long putt to save the holes. The match was Square ;t;the Turn. Morpeth narrowly missed a sensational downhill putt at the lentil for a two. The hole was halved in 3. Morpeth drove a screamer close on 300 yards at “Long Tom.’’ Black was in the rough and took 3 to the green and took two putts. Morpeth won in four. There was no change till the thirteenth, where Morpeth won in four and was 2 up. Blade lost a chance at Hie Encampment by missing an easy pult. Morpeth was three to the green at the 16th, which Black won in four. Black also won the 17th by stymying Morpeth. • At the 18th they lay side by side in the bunker. Making the better recovery Mcrpeth led by one up at the end of the 18 holes. Anothor Brilliant Approaoh. Morpeth pushed his tee shot out at the seventh, and was short with his second. However, he played another brilliant approach to within 3ft of the hole. Black played two fine shots to the edge of the green, but was a little too strong with his approacli pult, and he failed to hole the return. Morpeth was 1 up. Both played finely into the wind at the Quarries, but when a half seemed certain Morpeth missed a simple putt, and the game was square. Again Black hit a magnificent lee shot at the ninth, and lie was nicely on the green with his second. Morpeth topped his second badly, but chipped up and holed a seven-footer for a half in four. Black hit a great tee shot at the Slope, the ball coming to rest 6ft from the hole. Morpeth was through, but almost chipped out, the ball going into the hole and out. Black missed his putt and the hole was halved. Morpeth hit another wonderful tee shot of over 300 yards at Long Tom, and won the hole with four. Black was in the rough with his tee shot, hut made a brave attempt to hole a long putt for a half. The ball lipped the hole.

Neither played well at Terawhiti, and a half in fours resulted, after Black's putt for a win had balanced on ihe edge of the hole. .Botii were on the edge of the green at Alma with their seconds, but some distance from the hole. Morpetli approached best, and won with four.

Black's Magnificent Tee Shot

Morpeth pushed his tee shot out at the Encampment, and was short to the left with his second. Black, after a magnificent tec shot, was on the edge of the green with his second, but took three putts, and the hole was halved. Both played fine iron shots to the green at French Pass, and another half resulted.

Commencing in the afternoon, Morpeth, who was 1 up after the morning 18, again failed at the first hole. He hit a wonderful tee shot, but was through with his second, and, failing to chip dead, he lost the hole to Black's four, and the game was square again.

Both chipped too strongly at the next, and a half in fives resulted. Black was short with his second at Dress Circle, but chipped up perfectly, and, Morpeth taking three putts, he won the hole and went to the lead again.

Sensational Play. . The fourth hole was sensational. Both played grand iron seconds into the wind to the green. Morpeth’s putt was the longer, and his ball came to rest on the brink of the hole, right in the line of Black's putt. Black's hall hit Morpeth's into the hole, and then followed it in for a half in birdie. Neither played the fifth well, and it was halved in fours. Two great drives and good seconds saw another half at Redan. Morpeth pulled his second into the sand and grass at the seventh, and toot: three more to reach the green. .Black, with a good five, became 2 up. However, he made mistakes at the next two holes, and Morpeth, with two fine fours, squared the game at the turn. Black had come out in 39, and Morpeth in 40. Morpeth was short in a bunker at the iOtli, and Black, with a perfectly played three, was 1 up again; a lead he increased to 2 by wanning Long Trim with a One four, after being in the rough with his drive. Morpeth played a perfect tee shot at the 12th and just failed to sink his ten-footer for a win. Three putts on the next green cost Black the hole, and Morpeth squared the game again at the 14th, when Black was through over a mound with his second. 'Black played a weak fee shot at French Pass, but he stymied Morpeth and halved the hole. Black was a little lucky in getting a half at Bunker’s Hill, his second skipping a bunker. Black had a chance at the 17th, but failed with a ten-footer for a 3 and a win. Both played the last hole badly, Morpeth slicing his tee shot and .Black dulling his second, the hole being halved in fives. At the 37th Black sliced his tec shot over the road and took 3-t.o reach the green. Morpeth hit a wonderful tee shot of over 300 yards and wdn the hole and the match with a perfectly played 4.