CLOSE FINISH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 535, 19 May 1933, Page 5

CLOSE FINISH

MISS SNODGRASS GETS VICTORY AT LAST . HOLE i GALLERY GETS EXCITED Contrary to f orebodings, the morning for the semi-final decision of the -dadies' open championship, bpoke to /glorious autumnal conditions. The 'only disturbing factor was the brili liant light on the dewy grass and — - golf. The semi-finalists were Miss Cull- . ing- and Mrs. J. N. Wilson, hoth of ^Auckland, and Miss Snodgrass and , Mrs. Day, of Rotorua and Hamilton," mespectively. The match between IMiss Culling and Mrs. Wilson was processional. Miss Culling seemed quite uiiable to get into her usual compact style, while Mrs. Wilson held complete control oyer herself and the ball. The first three holes went to (Mrs. Wilson in 5, 4, 3? the fourth arid j/fifth were halved in 6 and 7. A three r to her opponent's four at the short /sixth put Mrs. Wilson 4 up. Two fives rat the seventh and eighth and a three at the ninth gave her the commanding lead of seven up at the'turn. The tenth went to Miss Culling 4 and 5, ■and thp eleventh was halved 5 and 15. A good four at thp- twelfth by ■Miss Cullii)g was offset at the thir- " teenth, which Mrs. Wilson took in a ' sound four, winning the match 6 — 5. At no time was the winner severely \tried and her early success did not • diminish her steadiness. The match between Miss Snodgrass and Mrs. Day, though it ended 4 and -2 in favour of the Rotorua player, was by no means an ill-coxxfcested

fight. Mrs. Day played steadily at the finish and also had a share of. bad luck. The winner finished with almost unbeatable golf. The first hole was taken hy Mrs. /Day -5 — 6, the second was a reversal of figures, the Rotorua player taking ,the honour with three to six, win,ning the next to become one up. The fourth went to Hamilton." The fifth was won by Miss Snodgrass, again placing her one up. At the •short sixth Mrs. Day was nieely on the green, her opponent bunkered. Miss Snodgrass played a beautiful 'pitch out of a very difficult lie and halved a long putt for three. Her 'opponent could do no better. Miss Snodgrass one up. At the seventh the local player increased her lead to two up and the j- eighth was halved. At the ninth Miss .Snodgrass found a rocky lie in the /big right bunker and in spite of a gallant effort failed to save a loss. Miss Snodgrass one up at the turn. Mrs. Day, who was playing steadily, ■evened on the tenth and took the lead At the eleventh, holing in five to six. After this Miss Snodgrass played* an unbeatable game. After squaring the match at the twelfth 4 — 5, she won the dog leg thirteenth in four, the f ourteenth in two, the fifteenth in three. and the sixteenth and the

UTiatch in a snappy four. * Mrs. Day had the misf ortune to get down the baxxk at the fourteenth and fifteenth. At the latter she made- a great recovery, getting her shot out of the deep erater and scoring a four. While Miss Snodgrass — bunkered — chipped out and sunk a tenfoot putt for three. The Hamilton player put up a good fight, but the winner's figures were undeniable. THE FINAL The final of the tournament was a golf ing thrill. After Miss Snodgrass had become dormy four at the fourteenth, when Mrs. Wilson developed super golf, she took the next three holes and narrowly missed squaring the match at the eighteenth. A large and excited gallery followed the

match. The opening hole was weak, being halved in six. Miss Snodgrass found plenty of trouble and ' the second pitching into a bunker with her second and into another with her third, giving up the hole, her opponent lying for a three. At the third Mrs. Wilson had the advantage on the green, but failed to hold it. The hole ' was halved. The Road was won by Miss Snod- ' grass, who holed five to six. The fifth was badly handled by both play- • ers and, after a rough passage, -was halved in seven. The short sixth halved in threes and the seventh in six; match all square. ' The eighth fell to the local player, 5 — 6, making Miss Snodgrass one up. At the ninth hoth players got into difficulties, Mrs. Wilson took three to reach the edge of the green and three to putt out. Miss Snodgrass was one

better, turning two ixp. An the tenth Miss Snodgrass improved her lead with a perfeet approach, and one putt 5 — 6; three up. The eleventh was halved in five. At the twelfth, with advantage on the green, Mrs. Wilson failed in putting and the Rotorua representative was four up. The intex'est of the large gallery was waning at the thirteenth, which Was halved in five, leaving the gaxne four and five to go. It further slurnped when the fourteenth was also halved in threes. A Startling Change A startling change then took place at the fifteenth, Mrs. Wilson holed a two to Miss Snodgrass' three, reducing the lead to three. At the sixteenth, Miss Snodgrass failed, going down the bank and putting her second in an unplayable place in the tall

timber. Her opponent went on to win in five. Miss Snodgrass dormy two. At the seventeenth Mrs. Wilson put her tee shot three feet from the pin, to which her opponent replied with one scarcely five feet away. Miss Snodgrass ran to the lip for two, but Mrs. Wilson sank her's, winning thehole. Game, one up. Going to the eighteenth the enthusiasm of the crowd was enormous when the Aucklander held the advantage -on the green, her putt just missed laying a complete stymie, lying within a few inches of the hole. * After a moment's consideration Miss Snodgrass toolc chance and just sunk her putt, winning the match by one, up. . A great oyation greeted the players. . /, .At the close? of the meeting Miss Snodgrass, as captain of the Rotorua Golf Club, congratulated both winlxers atxd losers on the fine manner in which the games were contestod and

Paid a generous tribute to the assistance given to -them by 'the inen's committee. Mrs. S. H. Hay, wif e of the president, then distributed the prizes. The following is the list: — LIST OF PRIZE WINNERS General appreciation was expressed by visiting players of the admirable arrangements made for their comfort by the committee and Miss Dannefaerd, secretary of the club. The clubhouse and the excellent catering was also praised. The coxirse was a credit to the club staff and was admitted to be the finest by those playing upon it. The meeting was a great success, and primises to prove a magnificent advertisement of Rotorua's golfing resourees. THE RESULTS Championship: — Miss Snodgrass. Runner-up; Miss Wilson. A Grade, 1st Medal Handicap. — - Miss Moon.

B Grade, 1st Medal Handicap. — Mrs. Jones. Canadian Foursomes. — Mrs. Rainger land Mrs. Wilson. A Grade 1st Bogey Handicap'.— Miss Moon. B Grade 1st Bogey ILmdxcajp. — Miss Routley. A Grade 2nd Medal Handicap. — • Miss Snodgrass. B Grade 2nd Medal Handicap. — Miss Wain. A 'Grade 2nd Boigey Handicap. — Miss Snodgrass. B Grade, 2nd Bogey Handicap. — Mrs. Hitchcock. Winners of Putting Competition; First day. — Mrs. Wilson. First day: Mrs. Wilson; second day: Mrs. Ferguson; Third day: Mrs. Hayxnes. ' Bogey Handicap A Grade : — Miss Snodgrass, 4 down; Mx-s. Budd, 4 down. Miss Snodgrass was the winner of the tie decided over the nine holes. B Grade: — Mrs. Hitchcock, 1 down; Mrs. Spedding, 1 down. Mrs. Hitchcock was the winner of the tie over the last nine holes.