NOTES ON THE PLAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 64

NOTES ON THE PLAY.

(From Otjh Social Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, September 13. The weather .was glorious for the opening of the championship, and the course is drying splendidly.. .The srreens are not nearly so fiery. . as they have been, and the putting, taking it all round, has been good!. Clements played v«ry steadily to-day. Duncan and Hood played together, and finished square in both rounds. It was an attractive eNhibition. Abbott had a temporary lapse in the morning at the fourteenth hole, talcing 7 to an easy 4 hole, but despite this he finished the course in 83. He played round with Clements. The Bogey for" the course is 85, so that both players were up on the Colonel. The links have been lengthened considerably for the championship, and the Bogey not having been altered makes it much more difficult. In the match l»etween Hood and Duncan the luck seemed to favour the Wellington man. Hood played a sterling game. Hamilton Smith was approaching shockingly, and this fact accounts for his bad round in the morning. His afternoon play was more like his home form, and he is sure to improve if the dry weather continues. Forbes, of St. Clair, is holding his own with the best of them, although he fell away slightly in the afternoon. His morning round was excellent, considering that he is a stranger to the course. There are over 100 competitors, and the waiting at some of the tees is very tedious, the last players finishing this evening well on towards 6 o'clock. The arrangements are very complete, and the tournament is sure to be a success.