GOLF TOURNAMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 8

GOLF TOURNAMENT

AUSTRALIA V. NEW ZEALAND INTERESTING FOUR-BALL MATCH By Telegraph—Press Association. - Hamilton, BeDtember 17. Cold, wet and blustery weatner prevailed in Hamilton this morning and the outlook for the day's Bolting was unpromising. Tho rain cleaved away, however, and eonUitions generally were favqurablo except lor. a persistent westerly, which swept, tho links all day, and rendered record-break-ing impracticable. The peculiar toposrauhy of tho links Is very favourable lor siehtseers, and tho 500 spectators who assembled to witness the four-ball match,-Australia (represented by Kirkwood and fcast) v. New Zealand (Douglas and lies), wore rewarded by o spectacular and most interesting, though not a, very high-daBB, display. Brietly described, it may be said that the Australians had the New Zcalanders on tho dci'cusivo all tho wav. After lies and East, respectively, had halved the first- hole in three, lies dronped out of tho plctuvo for a lime, and left the bulk of the responsibility on Doufflas s shoulders at the business end of tho same. Douglas played rashly and badly, and. at \viib Ile» who came to light and kept interest alive until tho name ended 2 and 1 In favour of the Australians. Kirkwood opened well with 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5. bast beinir only two strokes worse. Douglass card showed 4, 4. 4, 5. 6. 4, 5 for tho first, seven holes. lies being three strokes worse. At this stage the Australians wero two up. Tho lucky eighth was faultily played by the wholo buuch and halved in 5. At Inn ninth Douglas crashed and took 6. and Kirkwood played faultily and notched. 6, but lies camo to light and halved with East. At tho precarious tenth, perched on on eminenco 191 yarns away, llcb and East used their decks, and Kirkwood and Douglas irons, lies slightly overran and 6lid over an eminence ou the green. Douglas was away to tho left. East was well oil tho line, and Kirkwood alone stopped twelve feet from the pin. Douglas played up short, but rammed down a twelve-font putt, lies overran in trying for a two. Kirkwood just lipped the hole for two aud halved in 3. All drovo well at the eleventh save East. Kirkwood alone found the edge of the green with a second, Douglas was away to the left. Ho ran up and holed a six-foot putt in four to halve with Kirkwood, who putted Btone dead. Still two up. Out of the rough at the twelfth, Douglas reached the edge of the 380 prds green with a powerful'iron. Kirkwood was pin high out to tho left, East short, and lies handy on the green. Kirkwood approached dead, leaving Douglas a long putt, which he negotiated. lies followed and halved in 4. Going to the thirteenth, Kirkwood found l.ho ditch, out of bounds. East pulled into tho rough, and lies drove up the centre into a bad lie, and broko Ixlb cleek i getting out. Douglas played a faulty second and reached the edge of the green with his third," and holed with a chip shot, amidst applause. Kirkwood, East and lies all took lives. Douglas was out of bounds with hia iron shot, at the fourteenth, but landed his next- 15ft. from tho pin and just lipped the hole for three Kirkwood was ou, but short with mashio down the wind, lies found buuker. East. who was lying handy, putted over an undulation and lay dead, winning in three, Australia two up. Douglas and llcb both pulled into tho bunker at the fifteenth. Kirkwood was ou. the green with bis setond. Douglas crashed, but lies played a magnificent iron out of the bunker, and lay 13ft. from P.G. Kirkwood putted dead, then lies squared up with putter, and holed a brilliant three amidst sustained applause. Australia ouo up. All got a long drives into tho teeth of tho wind at the sixteenth. Kirkwood found a bad lio in a depression, and inado a nicsi of a baffling shot, the hole costing him five. East was short with his third, but ran the fourth to the pin. Douglas scrambled up from the rough and took 6. Kirkwood also holed a long one for 5. This loft lies with a fifteen-foot putt for 4, but he was short, and hoied in 5. Australia, one up, 2 to play. Douglas again drovo wildly and pulled into tho rough, taking three to tho green. lies was away to the left with a second. Kirkwood reached the edge of tho green with a magnificent iron and holed in 4, all the rest taking 5. Australia 2 up, 1 to play. Kirkwood's round was 75. East took approximately 79, aud Douglas and lies approximately 81 each. Amateur Championship, Tho seml-flnqls of tho amateur championship were played between Dr. Hoss (Dunedin) and B. Hickson (One Tree Hill, Auckland), and K. B. Luek (Auckland) and Sloan x Morpeth (Hamilton). Hoss beat Hickson all the way, being three up at tho ninth hole, and winning at the sixteenth, 3 up, 2 to play. Exoiting Oamo Won by Morpeth, Tho game between Morpeth and Lusk was one of tbo most interesting and exciting over seen on a golf course. Morpeth won the first and third holes, and the next four were halved, but Irtish, after indiflerent play on both sides, won the eighth and ninth, turning all square. The tenth and 1 eleventh wero halved, but Morpeth'crashed at tho twolfth, and Lusk got his in front. Lusk found the rough in the next, and Morpeth, approaching dead, holed out in 4 and squared the match. The next two holes were halved, but Morpeth missed his drive at the next, and was beaten with a long putt, 4 to 6. He won the next with-a magnificent four off his iron, Lusk finding ai)d just missing a lons recovery putt. Playing to the seventeenth, Morpeth readied the edge of the green with a well-played iron. Lusk was short out of rough, and 25ft. away. With the third Morpeth overran the hole by sft., but Lusk came straight up the green against tho wind, and holed out. amidst shouts of applause. Morpeth, palpably staggered, missed his return. All squaro, 1 to ulay. Both drove well at the next, Morpeth's drive being much the longer. Lusk took his cleek and got away to the left. Morpeth hit a Btraight iron to the edge of tho Ereen. and laid the next dead. Lusk approached 15ft. short on tho alone, but holed in the next, amidst cries.of astonishment. Playing to the nineteenth, both overran. Morpeth was short, and Lusk failed to run up tho bank. Morpeth lay dead, and Lusk ran up to tho lip and halved. Playing to tho twentieth, 431 yards, both drovo well, Morpeth' being fully 25 yards from the tee. Lusk was pin high slightly off the green. With his cleek Morpeth ran 12ft. past him. With a wonderful iron, Lusk overwin the hole by 6ft. Morpeth'putted boldly and holed his throe to Lusk's four, and won the contest aniidst a great demonstration from tho hundreds of onlookers." Lusk-Out: 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5H2. In3, 6, 4, 5, 3, 5, 5, 4, 4-39. Morpeth-Out: 3, 4, 5, 5. 4, 5, 6, 6-42. In: 3, 6, 5. 4, 3, 5, 4, 5, 4-^9. Foursome competition, A foursome competition, played on tho links to-day, resulted as follows:—P. 0 Fryer and H. E. Troutbeck, all square; 0.- B. Wight and J. Goss, 1 down; K. 0. Chesney and E..Kirk, 1 down; A. E. and p. 0. White, 1 down; P. Trice and Itussoll, 1 down; W. B. Oolbeck and It. D. Bainger, 2 down; D. Pryde (ex-champiou) and P. P. Webb (combined ages. 126 years), 2 down