R. WAGG WINS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 379, 14 November 1932, Page 5

R. WAGG WINS

(Press. Assn.-

amateur golf title CQNCLUDING MATCH IN N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING HORTON BEATEN AT 37TH HOLE

— By Telegr;-.ph — Cccy.rlght),

Wellington, Saturday. The chief event on the programme for the ninth and last day of the New Zealand g'olf meeting at Heretaunga was the final of the amateur ehampionship, over 86 holes. . - - The contestants were Rana Wagg ■ ( Hutt ) - — who won the title at Shirley last -year after a titanic struggle with veteran Arthur Duhcan, ending'on the ■ 35th green — and T. H.-Horton (Mas;terton), who has twice won the blue ! riband, 1925 and 1928. | Result: R. Wagg (holder) beat T. i R. Horton at 37th. ' First Round \ Neither Horton nor Wagg was play- ; ing at his best. Both found the rough too frequently from the tees, and their re'coveries were rarely of a high quality. Either could have done the first hole with an easy putt. Wagg lost the second hole by missing a short putt, after Horton had holed a longish one for four. The third hole provided a bright *spot, Horton beingdead from the tee, and sinking* a four-footer to win in two — Horton 2 up. Wagg took the next four to five, and the following one in a good three —all square. The sixth and- seventh were halvad in fours, The first bad break was at the eighth, where Wagg hooked into the rough, half topped.his brassie, put the third into the bunker short of the terrace, and took four to get on the green. He missed a putt for six, and "picked up." The game was squared at the ninth, where Horton played too strong from the rough grass, Wagg running his second dead from the baclc of the green. The tenth Wagg lost. He sliced his drive into the rough, played out short of the green, then pitched a niee one to a yard of the pin, but missed his putt. Both were off the fairway to the eleventh. Wagg too much to the left, and Horton to the right. Wagg got a better one to the green. Horton took . three putts— all square. The* twelfth was halved in fives. The thirteenth went 'to Horton in four to five — Horton 1 up. Wagg got the next, Horton being short of the green from the tee. Horton sank a fine putt for two and a win. At the fifteenth Wagg was lying dead for a three. The sixteenth was halved in fours. Both were in the rough from the tee to the seventeenth. Wagg's second caught the top of the bunker, and remained short. Horton took the hole with an excellent putt. The eighte'enth saw Wagg play a fine iron' second. He went over the back of the green, but got a good half in four, to come in 2 down. Horton Misses 3-Ft Putt for Victory The gallery that followed the afternoon round of the amateur golf final was large, attracted by the fine day, tempered with a light breeze, and the -f act that the contestants were two such well-known and popiular players as Wagg and Horton. The golf for the most of the journey promising nothing in the way of thrills but Wagg was holding a surprise in store. Four down at the twelfth, he sank from the bunker to win the thirteenth in three, ran up a fine approaeh putt to take the fourteenth in three, and had the better pitch to secure the fifteenth and stand only one down. His hole "shot from the bunker at the thirteenth was the turning point of the game, the tide definitely going in Wagg's favour. The sixteenth and seventeenth were halved in fours. Horton lost his chance of the championship at the . eighteenth by missing a 3ft putt, after Wagg was down with'a four-footer, Wagg's "star" shone supreme at the thirtyseverith hole, where putting up he laid Horton a dead stymie. Horton made a valiant, but fruitless eff ort to get round the ball, and Wagg was cheered on retaining the championship. ..-•■■■