THE GOLF CHAMPION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 904, 25 August 1910, Page 11

THE GOLF CHAMPION.

MISS COLLINS, OF WELLINGTON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Ghrlstchuroh, August 24. Tho remarkably lino weather, which has characterised the Ladies' Championship Golf meeting, prevailed again to-day, there being a cloudless sky swept by a gentle nor'-wester. The championship final was played this afternoon, and resulted in an easy win for Miss Collins by 0 up and 4 to play. Her win'was greeted with loud applause, among the first to congratulate the champion being her opponent, Miss Wray. . • . At "Tho Rubicon" Miss Wray won comparatively easily by 5 —7, Miss Wray 1 up; "Wilson's Hole" was secured by Miss Collins .in 5—6, all square; "The Corner" was halved in 4, and Miss Wray got homo at "Briggs's by 4—5; Miss Wray 1 tip. Miss Collins mado all square at "Land's End" by winning by, 5 to 6, and, at "Rorke's Drift" got one up by winning by 3 to 4. "Mugridgo'a" was halved, but Miss Collins won the "Upshot" 4—*; Miss Collins 2 up. "Tho Lupins" was halved, and Miss Collins thus led by 2 up. At the turn at "Spion Kop" she increased hor advantage to 3 up, winning by 3. "Old Nick" was squared, but "The House" was won by Miss Collins in 3, and sho was dormy. "Buniside"- was won by her in 4 to 6, and she had won tho match by (i up and 4 to play. . , The feature it bout tho two competitors is that they are both practically young to golf, especially to champion honours. Both were coached by Gilbert Martin, late professional to tho Wellington Club. Miss Collins, especially, is very! young; in fact, she is just out of tho schoolgirl age, and is a daughter of Dr. Collins, of Wellington. This girl of seventeen first. started to play golf in desultory fashion at her school in England, and if was not till boo returned to New Zealand this year that sho took up tho game at all seriously, and then she began in real eaniost. She started her meteoric career by easily disposing of Miss Hannay for. the Wellington championship last month, following this up by appropriating that of Wairarapa. Her play all round in tho New Zealand Championship contest has been of tho consistent order. This is Miss Wray's third year at golf. . She received her first tuition from Martin, at Sydnoy, of 'which place sho is a native. It was her younger sister's (Miss Leo Wray's) phenomenal success that first decided hor to tako up golf. Miss Leo AVray was no fower than four times champion of Now South Wales, and 'twice of Australia, and holds an unbeaten record. Sho was a ,member of tho. Royal Australian Golf Club (Sydney) till the beginning of this year, and has only played in ono previous championship fixture —that of Now South Wales last year—when she was beaten in the semi-finals by Miss Cainl, the winner of the championship. Miss Wray is now a permanent resident of New -Zealand, residing in Manairatu,' and her keenness for tho royal game is illustrated by tho fact that she regularly travels twenty miles to indulge in it. . >