GOLFING

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1929, Page 3

GOLFING

MORPETH WINS CHAMPIONSHIP

KIRK-WINDEYER CUP DRAW

(Australian Press A.ssoei allu i<)

WELLINGTON, August 8.

The New Zealand Golf Association has received a cable from Melbourne that Sloan ,Morpeth beat iLincobk in the; final of the Victorian Championship by 2 and 1, after a great struggle.

With regard to the Kirk-Windeyoi Cup mulches runs the message: “Victoria will play New South Wales ion Saturday, to decide who shall play New Zealand for the Cup. We will play on Monday and Tuesday. Our players in Austialia have agreed to play both the foursomes and the singles over 36 holes instead of ~18 holes as in previous years, so that the final match will be between New Zealand and the winner of the Victoria and New South Wales match. The match will occupy two days. The foursomes will be played on Monday and the singles on Tuesday.”

NEW ZEALAND VICTORY POPULAR.

MELBOURNE, August 8

Morpeth, two up. aiid one to play, defeated A. Hancock, of Victoria, arid won the Victorian Amateur Golf Championship from the most classic field which has yet contested the event.

The New Zealand victory is popular, and' well merited, due to. consistently good golf,. , Morpeth is elated with his win, though lie is decidedly. modest a,s to his own capabilities as a golfer. His driving was a feature of a thrilliiig game, and richly repaid the exceptionally large gallery who followed the matdh, which was played in boisterous weather. ; Morpeth’s longest lilt was 295 yards against Hancock’s 280 yards. Openirig the first round Morpeth outdrove Hancock by ten yards, but both went eight yards past the pin at the second hole, which was halved; .as was the third, at which hotli putted brilliantly. Morpeth’s 295 . yard drive at the fourth hole save him an advantage, finishing with a twenty foot putt for a birdie four. Moipeth one up.. At the fifth there was little 'between the drives and brassies, but Hancock’s mashie shot was on the green, while Morpeth was eight yards from the pin.

Hancock touched par with a five foot putt. The New Zealander was two up at the sixth. The seventh was halved at eight. Morpeth’s second scoopy top gave Hancock the hole, who was in a better position to drive, followed with a brassie- whilst Morpeth, who had two poor lies made' Lhe game square. At the tenth! Morpeth’s drive hit a spectator and bounced in the rough.

; e rade a brilliant recovery,, -and halved. At| the eleventh Hancock buhkered.j The,,New Zealander was one up. The twelfth, was, halved. At the thirteenth \Morpeth was, two up with a seven foot piltt; which Hancork missed by inches. The fourteenth hole was halved. At the fifteenth, playing into wind, Morpeth sliced into the rough. He recovered well, but bunkered. Hancock was now one down. The sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth were halved. Morpeth 82, Hancock 88 After lunch the gallery completely surrounded the greens, and the marshalls had a difficult task. The players waited until the crowd was in positions IbefoPa. making shots. The nineteenth and twentieth made Morpeth three u,p. Hancock took the twentiv-first and the twenty-second was halved

Another spectator was hit at the twenty-third by Hancock, .-the ball bouncing, back into the fairway. Har cock won the hole, making him one down.. Hancock Avon the twentyfourth and twenty-fifth Avhero Morr>pth got into bunkers with a brassie._ This was the first occasion on which FTnnnock bad led: The Now Zealander responded by taking the next 280 yards in three, and twentyseventh, leading one stroke to the green, making him,,one up. ..

The twenty-eighth, twenty-ninth, and thirtieth holes ,were halved. Fortunes seesawed with the steady Noav Zealamle’* always having the adiumtage. His typical smashing drive at the final hole of the game finishina with a perfect putt, gave him a Avell earned victory.

The New Zealanders hope to complete a double Hyith the Kirk-Windey-er Cup. ‘ Hancock played his iron sbotp more attractiA'ely than Morpeth, who had a tendency to out-