GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1885, 20 October 1913, Page 4

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

—: fr—r . THE FINAL DAY'S PLAY. HONOURS WON BY B. B; WOOD; ILES BEATS CLEMENTS. , (By Telegraph—Prosa Association.! * Dunedin, October 18. The amateur goli championship meeting was concluded to-day. Tlio woather was favourable, and good contests wore witnessed in tho final of the amateur championship, and also in the professional match. : In the first round of tho amateur championship in tho morning, HE. Wood (Ohristchurcli) got tho battor of Dr. Ross (Dunedin) fairly easily,: being three up at the last green, -in tho second round in tho afternoon, howover, Dr. Ross hold on well, aim hole after hole was halved, tho match eventually ending with .Wood five up and four to play. Tho Amateur Final. In tho morning's play the first holo. ,w& halved in six, Dr. Ross just missingl his putt for o. Wood got tho second holo in 4, his approach having got 'on to tho green. Itoss laid a beautiiul approach to, the third holo after a bad drive, and won 3—4. All square. Wood won the fourth and fifth holes, \ his approach at the fourth being very fine. His second shot was below the green, and to the right, but he then pitched right on to the slope past the hole, and roljed back dead, getting the hole in 4. The sixth hole was halved in. 4, and tho went to Wood '4—5, Ross failing to hole out. The next two holes wefe halved in 4, and Wood was thus 3 up. at the'turn. 'Wood won' a poor tenth in( o, and got a long putt down at -the. Eleventh, winning in 5.,- The twelfth hole was practically given away to Wood (4—5), making him '4 up. Wood got tho thirteenth holo (5 up), hut lost tho--fourteenth and fifteenth, leaving, him 3 up. Tho sixteenth hole was'h'alyod.irt 4 and the seventeenth in 5. jWood:,missed-a short putt at, the eighteenths and the' hole was halved in > - ■" * aftornooii'the first holo went'to Wobd with a good 4. The sccond was halved in an indifferent 6, 'and the .' third went , to Ross, who laid a fine driye: a,:yard from the pin. He missed his piitt for 2, holing in 3. Wood 3 up.- Wood got,tho fourth holt! with'a magnificent 3—a perfect drivo,-a long," arid a good short putt. At the next hole, howblundered* his drive and pulling his' second into diffiHe gave up after, dropping, and playing two more poor shots.' Wood 8 up. The sixth hole, was squared in 4, ■cho seventh in 4, the eighth in 5, tho ninth in 4/the tenth in '4, the eleventh in 5,' and the twelfth in 4. Wood got the .thirteenth in 4 with a good putt, the-balUhanging for a moment on the lipSof„th(s;hole);iaiid then dropping in., Tlig foiirtefenth hole, also went.to Wood,-: Ross*play'iiig his second badly, and tlie match-ended; <Both competitors received an 2 ovation;'.'''. Wood, was warmly con-grattflat'£d-'pn(his performance^and Dr.. Boss' on. the-fln» fight which . he had made . 3 i"~"« Professional Final, j professional' match final was playe&an, the'morning, and was won by He4£6is','iip.,.;. At...the eighteenth- hole ClemigitsJ a chance to win the hole He missed that, anc£ithen- : missed .the .half. . The contest,taktiti :all through, was si solid one. lies lost,the next!' with"a bad *6. He took tho third in 3\ ■ and -tho'fouttli ln'ir. " Clements got the fifth in 4, and tho eixth was halved in 5. lies got the sevonth in 4, but lost tho eighth, lies taking 4. The ninth hole was'halved, lies being thus 1 up. At the turn the tenth holo went to Clements in .4, and the eleventh in 5. Tho twelfth was squared -in 4, but the thirteenth went to lies, and also tho fourteenth and fifteenth, making lies 2 up. Clements got the sixteenth in 3, and the seventeenth in four, making the scores all square., Going on t.t the last green both lay well, and ran up to the hole with seconds. lies holed in 4, and Clements had a six feet . putt for a win. Ho missed that, however, and then missed a 2ft. putt for a half, and the match ended lies 1 up at -,the eighteenth hole. Prizes Presented. 1 " Both contests in the morning were followed by numerous spectators, and in the afternoon tho crowd- following Ross and Wood was very largo. It behaved splendidly, keeping at a respectful distance for the most part behind a' lino carried in the-hands of a few officials. After tho final of tho amateur championship the prizes won during the contest were presented by Sir James Mills, president of tho Otago Club. Speechea were made by Messrs. Bullock (captain of the Otago Club)) Colbeck, on behalf of the'visitors,: and F. G. Hood on behalf of the professional players, i ; ;. Newcomer In Golf. Dri Ross is a recent arrival from Scotland;..:!'He has played golf all .his life, i but -has - never made it a specialty. His' principal sport at homo was hockey, in which he has taken part in eleven international contests. Ho arrived in New Zealand , two years ago. B. B. Wood was tho holder of the championship last year, and he now retains it for another twelve months. NOTES ON THE PLAY. (Bj Telsifrapli'-SDOtia! Corresrontfenlr ' Dunedin, OctoW 19. ' A;'rather glaring sunny day with strong -winds were the conditions in which ; the finals wore played. There was 'aii'great gathering to witness tho last stages of tho play in tho afternoon j- but t-hoy wore very orderly, and gave the stewards very littlo trouble. The golf was good and steady, and now and again some exceedingly fine strokes were applauded. In tho professional matcli Clements <Hu not produce the form of-the previous day, his putting at times .-being.-very poor. .. lies played well,' and i has to thank his chip, shots for his victory, for time after time ho laid these, up with great accuracy, giving himself easy putts. A great finish took the match to the last green, whero tho spectators expected to seo Clements repeat'his performance against DougJa3 and- hole his putt for a 3 and a win. He, however, gave.it. too good a chanco and ran past. Then ho presented tho match and championship to .lies by missing; a putt of just over a foot. Wood played- careful golf throughout tho amateur final. His driving . was long and straight, but. time after .time ho hit -his iron shots on tho' heel,' and only saved soveral holes by fine putting. A great Btroke of his was tho half-stymio at the tenth, which ho holed.l Ho played tho stroke in such a way as.'to push the Dunedin ball away, allowing his own to get in. It was a wonderful; stroke,: and doscrvod the hearty ;: applaUßo which came, from tho gal lory.-! Dr.''RoßS, ; a' player.;, who has a very flat swing, and plays a solid game, is a came'' fighter,- although ; iiot .hitting his drives'well. Trlu tho first; 18 holes ho held :his : own, and it ;wa's. .only his inability; toink 'putti of.: a .yard/and under which lost him his match., Had ho holed several of theso putts one is inclined: td think that the match wonld havo gono on towards tho, last . hole. He is a dogged'player/ and, ; though hard pressed in tho. afternoon, - stuck to his opponent and hah-ed seven holes run-ning.'teOJof'wliich-Jie ought to have Clements and Ilea. Clements's long putt at tho first was short, lies placing his. about a Joot away,

, i — | Moments, playing tho odd, just lipped tho holo, laying lies a dead stymie, lies,

however, with a niblick, lofted over, and holed tho stroke, winning tho holo. lies, slicing badly all tho way at tho second, lost tho holo, Clements losing tho third through faulty putting. Clements dropped his drive, and brasscy going up tho hill to tho fourth, lies, with a lovely approach, securing tlio holo and becoming 2 up. Clements had bad luck off his too shot at tho fifth, but recovered well, and won tho hole, lies played this hole badly. A bogy half followed, and then, playing to tho seventh, Clements again put in good work with his brassoy. lies recovered from a badly-sliced second with a beautiful mashio shot, and laid dead. Again Clements failed to get tho lino with his putt, and became 2 down. Cloments's superior play round tho green reduced tho lead at the eighth hole. The ninth was halved in 4, and' Clements turned 1 down. lies sliced into tho bunker, . and Clements, driving through the green, got an unfavourable lie. Ho recovered well, however, but lies, not recovering very well, lost the hole. Clements then got ahead for the first •time, winning the long eleventh hole in 'a porfect 5. Tlio twelfth liolo was halved •ill 4 after ordinary golf,. and then another deadly chip at the thirteenth by lies won him tho hole in 4, Clements failing to liolo an easy putt after tho advantage from seconds. At tho fourteenth' hole Clements lost through weak putting, and again stood 1 down. A bad slice into tho rough cost Clements tlio short fifteenth hole, lies holing a well-played 3. Then Clements (not making a mistako) won the sixteenth holo in 3, and a visit to the rough off a pulled tee shot, cost lies the seventeenth -also. The match was now all square. A beautiful cleek shot by _ Clements hearly hit the pin on its journey to tho last holoj lies hitting his off the neck of his iron. He recovered well, but Clements got insido him. lies missed' with his second, and tho odds wero on Clemonts winning, hut he astonished a great gallory by running his putt past, and he followed this by missing a putt of a foot, and so lost the match. He really, ought to have won as he had every chanco at the last hole. Wood v. Ross. Wood topped his second and Itoss sliced his, both after good drives. Then a short putt was missed by Ross, and they halved in 5. Ross topped his drive at the second, and Wood socketed Ks iron. They both wero on in 3, but Ross, missing a two-footer, became 2 down. A skied drive, followed by a brilliant mashie shot dead, won Robs tho third hole in 3. After bad seconds Wood, putting finely, won tho nexthole in 5. A fin& approach by Wood to within a foot at the fifth, and then a missed short putt by Ross, placed AVood 2 up with a nice 3. Tho Bixth holo was carefully placed and halved in 4. A fine approach by Ross, and a putt grazing tho hole (which was halved in 4) wero the principal incidents at tho sevonth hole. O'lcoks were used for the long eighth. Owing-to the strong wind Ross got a wretched lie, but he played a magnificent shot, and lay within a. yard of the pin. Wood, by a beautiful chip, lay within a foot, and then, as Ross never gave his short putt a chance, they halved in 4. A halve in 4at tho ninth holo followed Wood wont out in 37, and turned 3 up. The play for the tenth hole was full of incidents. -Wood sliced wildly, and Ross pulled and found ; a ditch at the edgo of the green. Wood ran through tho green, and was only a few feet from the ditch. Hero Ross made his mistake. Ho tried to play out of the ditch when ho had no chance of getting near- the holo. He ■ topped his ball, and then picked it out, I*-'thus losing a stroke. He then played ' past, and Wood, : taking three, mitt's, won the. noxt_ hole-in 5, .Ross -failing > to holo his putt. Ross lost a great i chanco at "this. hole. The eleventh ; hole he won in a perfect 5 by holing i his only putt. On the round' Ross was . short all the way,'and lost the twelfth i hole,.in 4—5, and, at tho thirteenth, • Woqd had all the luck. . , His final putt > hung'on tho lip'of the hole, and then, i aftor a few seconds, the, wind blew the ; ball in. Ho thus becamo 5 up. A i very . poor, iron shot by Wood was fol- • lowed by Ross playing his mashie shot i dead at the fourteenth, arid winning 1 tho holo in 4. i Dr. Ross got in _ a > beauty at the next, Wood failing with • his drive, but Ross nearly threw the hole • avray by bad putting. Wood was now • 3 up. Both wero on the sixteenth green i in 2, where Ross again missed a yard putt for a 1 pin halve. For tho seventeenth hole tho best drives of the day were' sent off, but Wood approached j best. Then Itoss, after his approach 1 putt, missed a five-foot putt., ' Wood ; had an 18-inch putt to win, but his ball . . jumped when he hit it, and ran round . the holo. It was halved in 5. The v' cause of _ the miss was a heel-mark jn ■ which his ball lay. Ross made the best shot for the eighteenth holo, buf - Wood snatched a 'halve in. 3 -by a fine . run up, finishing 3 up. , Quito 700 spectators now followed tlw j -players |n the afternoon, and ropes i were employed to keep them back.- The E play , was good, and ueen interest was - evinced. Dr. Ross had many supporters, arid his driving improved in thi; round,'but Wood was playing safely .'. and surely, being content to keep hold j of the lead which he had] gained in the : first half. At the first hole, j- Ros3 was;', too strong in Ilia third, whilo- Wood chipped , stone | dead and became 4 up. Both had tricky 1 approaches to pla.y at tho second holo, and they halved in 5. A big slice by I Wood was responded to by Ross bv a I magnificent drive from tho third hole tee, his ball coming to rest 3ft. off tilt ' holo. Ho missed tho,putt, but Wood's mashie play was weak. Ros3 topped his second at the fourth holo, where, by a lovely iron shot, Wood holed a brilliant- 3, 'and becamo 4 up again A topped drivo by Wood at tho fifth l followed by a visit to-the rough (whew a ho took 3 to got out and then picket o up) lost him the hole. Ross had a nic< 0 second on to the sixth, Wood being; - short. Both ran up closo and then thi :1 doctor nearly made his supporters weoj .. by missing a foot putt for a win. Wooc v out-drove Ross -.by 30 yards at th< s seventh hole, both finding the green ir .1 irons, Ross being lucky in staying oi e a green which is verv difficult to ap t proach. Wood iust lipped a 3, and f 1 half in 4 was called. Careful play halve* a tho eighth hole in 5. Ross was short ii o his second at tho ninth holo, hut lait - his third dead, and got a halve in 4 h and was now 3 down and 9 to play o Wood, by a'lucky kick, escaped thi s ditch at tho tenth holo, Ross playinf ;- well up the bank. Ross missed a hart piitt for a win, his ball running rouni o tho hole and laid' Wood a half stymie o Wood, who made a careful study of tin y shot, played it beautifully, and holc< it for a halve, tho "gallery" givin< t Wood -a great cheer for this fine feat a Indifferent long play was followed b; q pretty mashio shots, and a fine halvi d in 5 resulted on the eleventh green > Wood sliced at tho twelfth, and- wa 0 closo to the fenco near the broom. Hi e made a wonderful recovery, however a with a niblick, and deserved his halv, , in 4. Tho players failed to reach th ' thirteenth green in 2, and Wood plarei e a run up, lloss pitching. They puttei 0 to within a yard, and Wood holed hi a ball, but Ross Again missed a chanc , and becamo 4 down. Ross pulled hi ™ first and found a bad lie, and thel ,g topoed his second, Wood playing a fin L cleek shot. Ross,' however, was on h'j d' 3, hut Wood,; holing out in' 4, won th d hole and the match.' is . -