NATIONAL GOLF

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 10 November 1939, Page 11

NATIONAL GOLF

START OF TOURNEY qualifying’ rounds SHOWERS SPOIL PLAY DIXON HEADS FIELD (IVr Pros.* Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Showery weather marred the opening of the New Zealand golf championships at Miramar this morning, when play was commenced in the first round of the open championship and the qualifying rounds of the amateur and professional championships.

Thirty-two competitors will qualify for the amateur title and 16 for the professional. The absence of the South African, A. D. Locke, the open title-holder, and other well-known professionals from overseas, has robbed the tournament of some .interest. However, entries totalling 160 include all the leading New Zealand amateurs and professionals, and brilliant. play may be expected during next week.

The course is in perfect order, reflecting credit on the Miramar professional, R. C. Butters, the staff and club officials. Bogey is 74 for a course of 6237 yards.

The greens were holding this morning and a strong wind tested the skill of the players. The outstanding performance, considering the unfavourable conditions, was that of the four handicap St. Clair player, Dixon, who returned a meritorious 76. Dixon dropped two strokes at the second (300 yards, bogey four) but birdies at the seventh (420 yards, bogey five, and the eighth (330 yards, bogey four), gave him 37 for the outward journey. He exceeded the scratch score of 37 for the homeward nine by two. .Morrison, a five handicap player from North Shore, started brilliantly with an eagle at the first and a birdie at the third, but lie was unlucky to drop his ball at the sixth which cost him seven. He was out in 40 and home in 38. The first player home was Watson, handicap six, who played very steadily for 78. The wind had increased at 1 o’clock and bleak, rainy conditions made accurate driving extremely difficult.

The first professional player to return a card was Lindsay Ross, Nelson, and he was soon followed by Robert Jackson, North Shore, the Watt brothers, Wellington, and H. RBlair, Christchurch. Eric Henderson, Masterton, played solid golf in all departments of the game to return an excellent 76. He was out in 37 and in in 39. He is a protege of Horton and in his play one sees the teacher in the pupil. Results: —

Open Championship

D. Dixon (St. Clair) .. ..76 L. A. Watson (Methven) .. .. 77 J. Morrison (North Shore) . . 78 John Watt (Wellington) . . . . 78 W. A. Robertson (Miramar) . . 79 H. Gyles (Titahi Bay) . . ■ ■ 79 E. Fletcher (Manawatu) .. ..80 K. Smith (Judgeford) . . 80 ■T. Hussey (Wanganui) •• 30 H. McLean (Miramar) . . .. 81 C. Bailey (Rotorua) .. ..81 S. Booth (Akarana) . . . . 32 C. Maloney (Hutt) .. • • .. 82 D. Irwin (Hutt) 82 E. S. Thomson (Hutt) .. . . 83 H. Blair (Christchurch) .. 83 D. Bennie (St. Clair) . . 83 A. Donoghue . . .. • • . . 83 A. Whitfield (Titahi) . . .. 84 Robert Jackson (North Shore) .. 84 L. J. Moorhouse (Harewood) . . 85 C. J. Hayes (Mornington) . . . . 85 J. A. Johnston (Rangimarie) .. 85 C. Faulkner (Masterton) .. 85 P. Francis (Rangimarie) . . . . 86 H. Marshall (Titahi) . . . . 86 Lindsay Ross (Nelson) .. .. 86 C. Shadick (Westport) . . . . 86 J. McDougall (Otago) .. . . 86 J. P. Colwill (Miramar) . . . . 87 James Watt (Wellington) .. 87 Alex. Hood (Mornington) 1. ..87 R. Thrush (Eltham) .. • • 87 W. Dillicar (Hutt) .. • • 88 E. A. Hansen (Shandon) .. 88 A. Boyd (Otago) 90 N Hodson (Wellington) . . . . 93 F. Kerr (Otago) 94