BRILLIANT GOLF

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 49, 13 March 1937, Page 14

BRILLIANT GOLF

BOBBY LOCKE !N FORM DEFEAT OF A. PADGHAM THE TRANSVAAL OPEN NIneteea«year-old Bobby Locke scored the greatest triumph of his golfing career at Germiston on February 25, when he won the Transvaal Open Championship for the first time, finishing with a record-breaking final round of 67 to beat the Britlsh Open Champion, Arthur'Padgham, by four strokes, says the Rand Daily Mail. He has won greater titles, but never from such a field, comprising as it dld, Britain's champion, three other of its leading golfers, and the formidable Sid Brews, who has held the title for 7 years. The latter was not at the top of his form, as he is not fully recovered from a recent illness. With Padgham leading by rour strokes on the first two rounds, Locke reversed what appeared to he a forgone conclusion— and did it by rour strokes. In doing so, the slightlybuilt South African overcame a great psyshological as well as physical test. The position at the end of .the third round was Padgham 215, Locke 219, Brews 220, and Mitcheil 223, the veteran English player having crept up to the leaders with a brilliant third round of 70. Padgham was an oddson favourite. But by the tenth hole Locke had upset all expectations, and made History. Settling down to perfect, machinelike golf he reeled of£ seven 4fs and two 3's to reach the turn in 34. News came up that Padgham, putting badly, had come up to the turn In 38, and amid the excited atmosphere of the large gallery, ' the British Open Champion and Bobby Locke faced the homeward journey on level terms. Unperturbed. Locke oontinued outwardly unperturbed, and, notching a 4 to Padgham"s 5 at the tenth took the lead, I and not only held It, but Increased it by three strokes before the end. He came back in 33. The difference between the two men's play lay on the greens. Locke was putting superbly. He did not three-putt once, and on six occasions, including the last three holes, he holed out with one putt from distances ranging between 12 and 30 feet. He sank two thirty-footers at the 17th. and 18th, for 3's, to put the issue beyond douht. Padgham came in just after, with a 75. The prize money was divided as rollows ; — Padgham £150; Sid Brews £75; Mitchell £35; Cox £20; A. N. Thomas £10; J. de Beer £5, and J. Brews £2 10s. De Beer also received ten guineas in acknowledgement of his services as course professional.