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Chronicle (Levin), 8 June 1948, Page 3

Press Association)

! (Per

HAMILTON,. June 7. Plftying brilliantly in the afternoou round of his match with R. H. Glading in the semi-finals of the North Island amateur golf championships today, B. M. Silk (Belmont) gave visitors to St. Andrew's course a magni'ficent exhibition of golf and was successful in beating the New Zeaiand open champion 5 and 4 in a 36-Hole' match. In the other semi-final, T. J. J effrey, of New Plymouth, .caused a sttrprise by beating A. R. Kitto (Wanganui) 4 and 3, after the latter held a 1-up advantage at the heginning of the last 18 holes. While Silk played superbl golf, Glading was little inf'erior: . Twenty and 30-foot putts were made to look easy by each of them and at the turn in the concluding round, Silk was four under par and his opponent two under par. At this stage Glading was 3-down. An eagle three at the 20th hole afle>' the pair had seored bogey threes at the 19th, squared the match but Silk lost little time in regaiping the lead, Glading requiring five at the 21st hole after ' a bad reeovery from the rough. At the previous hole Glading had lioled a 30-foot putt. A visit to a bunker was paid by Glading at the ensuing hole but although he putted neatly for birdie four, Silk was not to be outdone and he holed a long putt for the eagle. A birdie three to Glading 's orthodox four, seut Silk to a 3-up lead at the 23rd, while a putting error from an easy position eost Glading the next hole and Silk reeled off another birdie. A 30-foot putt by Glading thrilled the gallery at the 25th, Silk missiug an easy oue to coneede the hole and reduce his leading margin to 3-up. The notable feature about the 26th was the missiug of the easiest of putts by Silk. Glading was 2-down approacliing the '27th. Siuking a 30-foot putt at the 27th, Silk turued for home with a 3-up lead and when Glading when into a bunker at the next, Silk won the hole tO' make it 4-up. Another 2-foot putt by Silk at the next hole made Glading 5-down. A classic second sliot by Glading won liim the 31st hole but Silk won the match at the next, Glading finding the bunker at the shortest hole with his tee shot. Silk was in for a bogey three. Silk and Glading vvent on to complete the course, the fonner going round in 69, five under par, and Glading 71. Jeffery-Kitto Match The most sensational incident iu the Jeffery-Kitto encounter occurred at the last green played when both sank putts from the edge of tlie green. Kitto had played his tee shot out of bounds and Jcfi'ery took this hole with three^to hh opponent's four. When they began the. last round of their Mli-liole match, Kitto was leading 1-up and he increased his lead at the 19th hole with bogey three to Jefferv's four. The ' next was halved in lives but Jeffery took the 21st with a birdie three to Kitto 's four._ A beautiful birdie four at the 22ud plaeed Kitto 2-up again. The next was halve-l in bogey figures but Kitto required five at tlie 24tli, Jeffery being down in four. The match was squared at tlie 25th, a IVirdie four bv 'Jeff^y being seored at this hole. At the rieixt. hole Jeffery took the lead, Ivitfd again' taking five, and the ensuing hole was halved in fours. For the outward journey Jeffery, required 37 and Kitto 39. The 28th au'd 29th holes were halved but Jeffery tooa the next after both had executed beautiful tee shots and poor approaches. The next hole was halved in bogey figures but at the short 32nd, Kitto had a bad lie and he -tqak four -to his opponent 's three, making him" 3-down. The game ended at the next hole. Jeffery lioling his long putt for a birdie three aud Kitto holing his for four. Matches played yesterday resulted: — North Island Championship Semi-linals: B. M. Silk beat R. ti. Glading 5 and 4, T. J. Jeffery beat A. II. Ivilto 4 and 3. Championship Flight Semi-finals: W. E. Jones beat H. P. Dale 2 and 1, T. J. Jones beat J. C. Holden 5 and 4. Final: W. E. Jones beat T. P. Jones 2 and 1. St. Andrew's Plate Semi-finals: J. Sterritt beat B. G. Thomson at the 20th, L. B. Johnston beat M. Sing 6 and 4. Final: L. B. Johnston beat J. Sterritt 2 up.