GOLF N.Z. PLAYERS IN FORM AT MELBOURNE

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1948, Page 5

GOLF N.Z. PLAYERS IN FORM AT MELBOURNE

(Rec. 11.34). MELBOURNE, Oct. 11. G. P. Roberts, the manager of the New Zealand team, set a wonderful golf example to his charges in the second round of the Australian amateur championship which began at the Metropolitan links to-day. Opposed by E. McC'utchan, the leading Melbourne Pennant player, Roberts was out in 38 to be 1 up at the turn. He completed the next , four holes in three under fours, and won at the 14th green, 5 and 4. His card was four for 14 holes, and this represented a score of one u?der fours.

Roberts and Mci/utchan halved the 10th hole with a par at fours, but the New Zealander won the next three with birdies. At the short 13th he pitched a tee shot to within six feet of the pin, and holed the put for a 2.

The only other New Zealanders to appear to-day were J. Hornabrook, who defeated J. Grant 4 and 3 in the first round, and N. H. Amon, who received a walk-over from H. Hillman in the second round. R. H. Glading, B. Silk and D. L. Woon had byes, and will play their first matches to-morrow. Hornabrook, after winning the first hole, against Grant:, lost the next two, but'‘recovered to be out in 37 ano 2 up The next hole made him 3 up, but at the 11th Grant sank a 15foo'rr for a birdie three. Hornabrook twice rolled the ball right to the edge of the hole, with long putts, without sinking it, but was playing so well that he was not troubled to win at any stage. LIKELY WINNER’S DEFEAT A feature of the day’s matches was the defeat of Dr Prendergast, mentioned as a likely winner of the title, by Peter Thomson, a 19-year-old v torian, who was playing in his first national championship. Thomson, regarded as Australia’s most promising young golfer, won on the last green. All of the afternoon matches were played in drenching rain, so heavy that the players frequently were forced to play chip shots to avoid running the ball into pools of water on the greens.

Scores were:— First round: D. Bachli defeated J. Barkel 2 and 1; P. W. Thomson defeated J. Coogan 2 up; J. Prendergast defeated R. Smith 2 and 1; J. Baillieu defeated G. Greening 2 and 1; L.! Duffy defeated H. Wrjght 5 and 4; K. Drage defeated H. Mitchell at the 1 19th; A. Rae defeated Ivo Whitton 6 , And 5; H. W. Hattersley defeated R. Scott 2 and 1; L. Nettleford defeated H. Fapworth 1 up; R. R. Buxton, junr., defeated M. J. Ryan 1 up; J. Banting defeated W. S. Rymill 2 and. 1; J. Hornabrook (New Zealand) de-1 feated J. Grant 4 and 3. Second round: N. H. Amon (N.Z.) had a walk-over from H. Hillman; W. D Ackland-Horman defeated K. Rogers 3 and 2; W. A. Edgar defeated J R. Hood 3 and 2; G. P. Roberts (NZ.) defeated E. McCatchan 5 and 4- A N. Waterson defeated L. Guiney 6’ and 5; W. A. Higgins defeated S. Coogan 2 and 1; D. Bachli defeated N Matthews 6 and 5; L. Duffy defeated J. Baillieu 7 and 6; K. Enderby defeated L. C. Patterson 1 up: H. E. Benns defeated A. V. Rae 5 and 4; P Thomson defeated J. Pendergast 1 up; L. Nettleford defeated B. Sullivan 3 and 2.