AMATEURS AMONG LEADERS FOR GOLF TITLE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 7, 1 October 1937, Page 13

AMATEURS AMONG LEADERS FOR GOLF TITLE

-Press Association.J

N.Z. TOURNEY OPENS Guy and Thomson Each Return 73 YESTERDAY'S ROUND

(By Telegraph-

HAMILTON', Last Night. Features of to-day's open golf chas pionship were the fine performances c the amateurs, who in the first touik. finished among the leading six places. Hornabrook, the amateur title-holder, and T, S. Galloway showed good form, but both were . dogged with ill luck. Often Hornabrook lost strokes by chipping too. strongly when approaehing. • Galloway, duffing a drive and then staying in the rough till Teaching tho green, had trouble at the I7th. On. the green he was short. Though being troubled by the holding surface neitHei golfer was playing up to recent form. 0. C. Clements, holder- of the professional crown, has never been in better form on his long game than he was today, but was round in 76. He, like many other players, encountered difS.culties on. the green. He repeatedly slipped putts, and at the eightk toolc thrce strokes on the carpet. At the tecs and with an iron in the fairway Clements had perfect control. H. D, Brinsden, whose recent form has been impress'ive, is still experienciug troubles on the tee that he did in his practice rounds earlier in the week. To-day he was one of the few early players who controlled well on fchs holding green. Tha best score in the early rounds was returned by A. Weir, New Plymouth, who particularly impressed in the second half. He came home in 31 after being out in 42, which included a Eew lapses on the greens. B. G. • Thomson, who won the South Auckland, title at St. Andrew's recently, always looked likely and after playing steady golf he came offi the courso with a round of 73. This was equal to the best score and a splendid performance under the conditions. Thomson was driving splendidly and his fairway and approach work was the best of the early players. At times, however, even Thomson was troubled by the holding greens. Twice, at tho fifth and sixth, he missed three-foot putts for threes. To get pin high with his second strokes was good work. At the long seventh he sank a ball with a neat four. When in trouble, and that was not often, Thomson 's chipping was Rlmost perfect, _ Briau Silk and Alex Murray played consistently in the forenoon, the amateur going round in 79 and the profesEional ia 76. The varying speed of the greens and the rising wind were handicaps, but anistakes were few. Both went out in 41, Murray xeturning in 35 and Silk in 38. Murray '& mistakes were mosfcly on the greens, whare he missed one or two fairly easy ones, while Sjlk who got a good length on the tee, showed a tendency to slice. The professionaPs card included sixes at the ninth and 16th and birdiea at the second, 11th and 19tR. Always a prominent figure on championship lin'ks, Norrie Bell, the North iShore professional, has deflnitely been og his game during the past few weeks, but on the last few holes to-day he showed definite promise pf xeturning to form. Although, in his own words, "he may be getting near to veteran stage," he should again be .capable of reeording those low figures which used to characterise his play, H. A, Black, who played with Bell, Was not impressive in scoring 80 and eneouiutered most trouble on the downwind holes. .The holder of the open title, A. J, Shaw, was not at his best in .the morning, particularly on the green, This weakness was shared by the Austfalian, H, W. Hattersley, with Whom he went round, and mediocre golf saw Shaw card 42 on the way out and Hattersley 41. Shaw improved on the homeward journey, for which his card read 36. Hattersley 's second half started with a fitring of six fours, while Shaw returned home in 3 4 4 4 3 5 5 4 4. Both players were getting good length froia the tees. Hitting a tremendous ball from the tee and putting very soUndly, the .tmattached professional, A, E.'Guy, shared top place with B. G. Thomson with a 73, despite a lapse at the second hole, tyhere he took a six. His card read: Out: 3 6 3 5 4 4 4 4 4—37, ' In: 24544454 4—36 Total 73 Superb judgment in approaehing th6 gteen enabled J". L. Black to oveteome an occasionhl mediocre diive and cOfiipiete the routtd in the excelleiit flgures of 75, which with a littles luck may have been mucli bettOr. With a perfect command bVb'f cMp shotfe, Black fcade putting cdmparatively easy for himself. . .The former amateur champion, A» G. Sime, romped round his favourite New iZealand course to-day in form which he ixad not excelled for years and like Blacl^ who accompanied him, only a little luck would iiavO givefi hiin a probable command over the field, Not once did he miss-hit from the tee aud his putting ability was equal to the best he has procluced. At the first Sime started offi the light Way with a birdie two. Except for a craSh at the 17th, where he required a six, Sime Ivould have had an attl'active card. At the third and sixth his thii'd stroke lipped tho cup. At the eighth he sank a 20-foot ptttt for a fine thrce, a foat which he repeated at the fifteenth, where another 20-foot patt droppcd home. In rcLurning the secotid best card of the day, Mra Mpojc^, tho ypung Miramar

steady in 37, and on ,the homeward journey his bogey figures were spoilcd at the fourteenth and fiftednth. Conditions generally were uapleasant at St. Andrew's links to-day for the opening of the national golf championships. Steady rain ia the jnoming, which cleared by the time the majority commenced to-day, made for tricky going and many of the good players were at a disadvantage. A strong cross westerly wind rose shortly after 11 o'clock and this increased the players' difficulties. The best cards were those of B. G* Thomson and A. E. Guy, whose 73 't . were excellent efforts under the conditions. Shaw, Murray and H. W. Hattersley, leading contenders for the open crown, were four to five strokes above Thomson and Guy. Five amateurs ire in the first six places. The cards to hand are as follow: — A. E. Guy (unattached) * . . . . 73 B. G. Thomson (Auckland) .. 73 M. E. Moore (Miramar) .. .. 74 J. L. Black (Titahi) 75 A. G. Sime (Otago) 75 J. Weir (New Plymouth) * .. 76 J. E. Moss (unattached)* .. 76 C. C. Clements (Bussley)* .. 76 S. G. Cooper (Morrinsville) .. 76 Andrew Dyke (Maraenui) .. 76 A. Murray (unattached)* .. 76 F. Branch (Whangarei)* .... 77 J. T. Hornabrook (Manawatu) 77 A. Kitto (Seafield) ... 77 JEt. Harsant (Kaikohe) ...... 77 A. J. Shaw (unattached)* .. 78 T. Galloway (Titirangi)* .... 78 G. F. Smith (Akarana) .... 78 W. Davidge (Titirangi) .. .. 78 W. Morrice (Motutara) .... 78 E. H. Glading (Hamilton) .. 78 N. Fuller (Judgeford Country) ♦ 78 H. E. Cross (Napier) ...... 78 T. Horton (Masterton) .... 78 H. D. Brinsden (Titirangi) . . 79 J. Hobbs (Napier) 79 E. Wallace (Te Awamutu) . . 79 T. S. Galloway (Maungakiekie) 79 B. M. Silk (Wanganui) .... 79 H. W. Hattersley (Australia) 79 A. Murray (unattached)* .. 79 K. Eoss (Otago) 79 H. Wiggins (Te Aroha) .... 79 B. J. Smith, jun. (Invercargill) • 79 J. H. Young (Titirangi) .... 79 H. A. Black (Miramar) .... 80 • J. Lambie (Hastings)* .. 80 H. P. Dale (Te Aroha) .... 80 E. Kitto (Seafield) 80 P. Peacock (Waipukurau) 80 J. D. Mclntosh (unattached)* 80 L. J. Bryant (Hamilton) .... 80 A. E. Blank (Christchurch)* 80 B. Holland (Waiwetu) 80 K. G. Ward (Akarana)^ .. u ._, 80 G. W. Eitchie (unattached)* 80 H. Longstaffi (Hastings) .... 80 A. Eksted't (Palmerston N)* 81 F. Hutchison (Wanganui) .. 81 A. Browne (North Shore) • • 81 » J. Logan (Shandon) 81 W. Horen (Hutt) ........ 81 W. Barker (Poverty Bay) .. 81 C. Thomas (Hamilton) .... 81 A. D. S. Duncan (Welinlgton) 81 G. Eoberts (Hutt) ........ 81 M, Houlihan (Timaru) ...... 81 B. H. Menzies (Auckland) « . 81 D. C. Collins (Featherston) .. 82 J". Jackson (Christchurch) « . 82 H. Godby (Christchurch) .... 82 A, McLean (Auckland), .... 82 E. Fryer (Napier) 82 F. McDonald (Shandon) .... 82 J. Park (Shandon) ...... 82 J. Shelly (Miramar) ...... 82 H. Hedley (Taumarunui) .... 82 E. S. Douglas (Otago)* .... 82 K. Bell (Eemuera) ........ 82 K, Williams (unattached) * . . 82 G. Melvin (Hamilton)* .. .. 82 J. G. Ferguson (Hamilton) . . 83 A. D. Smith (Strathmore) .. 83 T. W. Green (Masterton),* . , 83 J. Earle (Maungakiekie) .... 83 C. Eiddell (Waipukurau), .... 83 P. Savage (Auckland) .... 83 J. A. Olemeuts (unattached)* 83 E. Love (Hamilton) . . . . . . 83 W. Kuru (Waipukurau) .. . . 83 J, Shanly (Maungakiekie) .. 83 S. Watson (Wellington) .... 83 Y. J. Stichbury (Feilding) ..84 F„ L. Bartlett (Auckland) .. 84 C. Jacobsen (Auckland) .... 84 W. Donald (Auckland) .... 84 J.' Coltman (Titirangi) .. 84 J. A. Scouler (Otago) ...... 84 E. Andersoa (Manokorihi) .. 84 I. Orr (Macandrew Bay) .. .. 84 T, Bloomfield (Waiuku) .. .. 84 G. ti. Taylor (Ohaupo) >». 84 J. Watt (Wellington) * 85 K. Dyke (Glendowie) ....... 85 B. Haywhrd (Shandon) > . . . -85 I McEwan (Auckland) .... 85 B. Strathmofe (Manor Park),* 85 E. Boon (New PlymOuth) .. .. 85 I. A. Ewen (Hutt) 85 V. Salek (Akarana) .. .. ». 85 D. McO&'thie (Cambridge) .. 85 H. E. Blair (Christchurch)* 85 J. Mortland (Taihape) .. .... 85 L. A. Branch (unattached) * . « 86 H. Preston (North ShorC) .... 86 J- M. Eameay (Palmersten N.) 86 H. M. Cutler (Boyal Sydney) 86 N. W. H. Aihon (EangitikCi) 86 B. M. Gfiorge (Titirangi) .... 86 J, M. Bamsay (Palmerston N.) 86 Jack Galloway (Ohaupo) .... 86 A. 0. Euaciman (Hawera) 86 W. Alibon (Poverty Bay) 86 J. Galloway (Ohaupo)* .... 87 J. E. Galloway (Manawatu)* 87 A. Holland (Amberley) .. .. 87' L. Hawortli (Cambridge) .... 87 L. Cliiord (Titirangi) .. 87 E. D. Harding (Hamilton) .. 87 E. G. Butters (Miramar)* 87 - A. Sandel (Taumarunui) .... 87 Basil J. Smith (Akarana)* .. 87 J. Dinsdale (Te Kuiti) ...» 88 J. Jeffiries (Marlborough) . . 88 L. A. ESid (Waipukurau) i. 88 C. Monckton (Waipukurau)* .. 88 J. Mowat (Tauranga) 88 G. B. Ward (Hutt) .. .. 89 S. H. Abel (Auckland) .... §9 G. Wynyard (Biehifioad Hill) 89 R. R&mlhley (Belmont) .... 90 W. H, Dillicar (Shandon) . t . . 90 i L, R. Curtis (New Plymouth) 91 tt. Duthie (Maraenui) ...... 91 K. M. Wilson (Auckland) .. 91 W. Mouk (Rotorua) 91 B. Iviernan (Featherston) .. .. 92 K. Tomkins (New Plymouth) 96 . K. .Caldwell (Onewhero) .... 97