Morpeth First Golfer

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 485, 15 October 1928, Page 6

Morpeth First Golfer

AUCKLANDER WINS OPEN Dramatic Final at Dunedin (Special to THE SUS) DUNEDIN, Saturday. A BRILLIANT last nine holes, in which were a 33-foot putt and a 30-footer, gave the amateur, Sloan Morpeth, of Auckland, the open golf title of New Zealand in a dramatic finish at Balmacewen to-day. This is only the second amateur win since 1911, E. M. Macfarlane having won at Christchurch in 1925.

The 30-footer was on the last green, and when Morpeth sank it, and had won the open with a margin of two strokes, he was cai'ried shoulder high from the green and forced to make a speech. He said: "This is the proudest moment of my life. It always has been my greatest ambition to win an open championship. My best previous performance was in 1919, at Napier, when 1 tied with Douglas, and ultimately lost in the play-off. I always look forward to competing in the New Zealand championship, and I consider it a great honour to be here to-day. “I think I am lucky to win. I started late, and after I had played the first nine the wind died right away. After that it was easy going, whereas Shaw, Mclntosh and Dr. Ross had to compete against a gale.” (Applause.) Cheers were given for the champion. The scores in the open, including those who qualified for the Amateur, were as follows, professionals being indicated by an asterisk:

When play resumed to-day there was a cold south wind blowing up the valley, and its strength at times affected the. strokes. The course was in delightful order, having been impi'oved considerably by rain ir. _he early moi*ning. The greens were very good, giving players courage to putt firmly. POPULAR WIN Sloan Morpeth’s (Auckland) success was very popular with the crowd, which numbered about 600. His final round wias full of inj cident, and seemed in no small measure to reflect the fascinating j personality of the man who | wielded the club. He started well, finished sensationally, and played some great golf between times. His iron play was crisp and accurate, and in this department of the game he made only two mistakes, one of them being a minor slip at the long 11th. At the fii'st hole the new champion sank a splendid 3, but at the second he found a bunker, and a 5 was needed to hole out. He drove to the left at the shoi't third, chipped over the bunker and lay 15ft. away from the pin, a four being marked down. A high pitch shot at the short fourth went astray, but the next,- a difficult hole over a ridge, was conquered in 4 in spite of a sliced drive, a crisp mashie approach saving a possible 5. The principal feature of the seventh hole was a 12ft. putt, which gave him a 4. The "monastery” was a disaster for the champion. He cut his drive, played a poor second, and was 15ft. from the green with his third. He missed a 3ft. putt and finally took 6. OUT IN LEVEL 4’S His outward total was 36, level with bogey. Morpeth celebrated the beginning of the inward half of the round with a wonderful 33ft. putt, which enabled him to secure a 2 at the 10th. A big drive at the long 11th took him over the top of the hill, but his second was bad, and his third pitched on the edge of the green. Five strokes were required. The remainder of the course gave him no trouble, CROWD JOINS UP By this time the crowd was with him. Many of the others had finished, and Shaw was leading with 305. Someone told Morpeth what he had to do to win. and he set out for it. He took the 13th with a par five, and a magnificent 3 at the 23Syd. 14th, about the most difficult tee shot on the course, followed. A 5 at a possible four uphill went down next, and he had 445 to win the open. A perfect 4 stai'ted the final stage, the 16th, and a 4 on the long one-shot 17th saw him with a comparatively easy 5 left to get the title. His drive was up the middle, and a 190 yd. iron shot with a cross wind was left. The ball drifted and found a bunker, and was 30ft. away after the third shot, a difficult putt, as easy to take thi*ee shots as anything under the cirraumstances, but Morpeth hit it and down it rattled. Then the crowd gave vent to the pentup feelings. ROSS FALLS OUT In the afternoon Dr. Ross, one stroke behind the leader, started very well, but slipped a shot on the ridge, the 4th, pushing his second out. He then took three putts on the next green. His troubles came about through missing short putts. At “Tipperary,” the . 11th. he went well over the bank and the hole cost him 6. This lost him his : chance of the championship. Several mistakes in the morning round brought T. H. Horton’s score up to 82, but in the final round he played steady golf and returned a card of 76. J. D. Mclntosh, after taking the first hole in eagle, took 6 for the second. From then to the turn he

played very sound golf, and started on the homeward journey with 35 on his card. A 4 at the tenth and a 5 at “McGlashans” spoilt what would otherwise have been an excellent second half,' and he finished with the sound score of 74. In the morning Douglas spoilt an otherwise faultless round by taking 0 at the 9th. It was the only blemish in his sveat round of 72. His total equalled T. H. Horton’s score of the previous day. The Jellicoe Cup contest was a tie between Horton and Douglas. It is probable both names will be engraved on the cup. O’RORKE VASE The O’Rorke Vase teams’ match was won by the Otago team, consisting of K. Ross, G. F. Barnett, S. C. Golbeck and D. H. Butcher, with an aggregate of 318. Hutt was second with 326. The Jellicoe Cup resulted in a tie between T. H. Horton and E. S. Douglas. This is the first occasion a professional has had an interest in the cup. The amateur players having aggregates of 343 or better qualify for the amateur championship. As three players have tied for thirty-second place a play-off is necessary. CLUB MATCHES LUSK OUT IN MIDDLEMORE CHAMPIONSHIP The surprise of the week-end was the defeat of H. B. Lusk in the first round of the Middlemore championship by H. L. Rees, Lusk having qualified second, and Rees near the end of the list. The results of the first round were:— R. D. Wright beat H. Tidmarsh. 4 and 3; W. S. Ralph beat E. L. Bartleet, 5 and 4; H. Plumley beat W. B. Colbeck,' 6 and 5; D. MacCormick beat R. Rainger, 1 up; A. Boddington beat J. P. Aldred, 1 up; W. N. Abbott beat W. Geddes, 4 and 3; L. W. Delph beat P. J. Western at the 20th; H. L. Rees beat H. B. Lusk, 3 and 1. The scores of those who qualified for the junior championship wei*e as follow: W. Wilson, S 6; C- R. Palmer, 90; T. N. Holmden, 90; J. F. Ewen, 92; M. Louisson, 93; W. Pavitt, 93; K. MacCoi'miek, 93; S. A. Smith, 94; B. S. Finn, 95; E. B. McDonald, 95; D. Poison, 96; W. V. Robinson, 96; H. Henderson, 96. ■J. Wilson, E. J. Richardson, G. L. Tay- i lor and B. C. Hart tied for the last three places, with a score of 97, and will play off during the week. The Nursery Handicap for the player returning the best net score was won by W. Wilson, 86 —13, 73. Titirangi. Ballin Cup, qualifying scores:— A. H. Gyllies (15), 70; G. Alarriner (16), 70; S. Gaskin (12), 71; H. L. Massey (18), 72; C. Robinson (12), 72; J. Hockin (2), 72; E. C. Robieson (9), 73; E. G. Tallis (7) 73; H. W. Cooke (8), 73; W. R. Vercoe (20), 73; S. -C. Western (8), 74; T. A. Goulding (2), 74; A. Le Sieur (14), 74; L. Williamson (18), 74; G. F. Jones (15), 75; E. F. Burns (11), 75; A. M. Goulding (7), 75; M. Schroff (14), 76; R. George (scr.), 76; A. J. Good (10), 76; H. Rogerson (15), 76; S. Hunter (11), 76; F. Trice <6), 76; C. Horton (12), 76; J. Gilmour (14), 76; A. Fairbui'n (12), 77; H. C. Chapman (12), 77; J. Francis (14), 77; W. P. Baker (14), 77: C. G. Fisher (8) 77; J. M. Somerville (l 6), 77; H. Broadbent (12), 7S; R. J. Graham (IS), 78. The last two players will" play off. In the final of the C gi*ade championship Knight was four up on Rogei's at Titirangi in the first round. The second IS holes will be played at One Tree Hill. Akarana v. Pupuke.—Akarana beat Pupuke by 8 to 2. Following are the Results: B. J. Smith, junr., beat F. H. Mingay, 3 and 2; J. A. Wallace beat M. Thomson, 6 and 4; F. Hazelden beat L. Minogue, 5 and 4; G. L. Brett lost to A. W. Clark, 2 and 1; C. Bailey beat B. E. Goldwater, 3 and 1; H. A. Clark beat E. W. Mills, 6 and 5; W. Tui'bott beat A. A. Tysoe, 5 and 3; C. M. Cox lost to L. G. Whittaker, 2 down; J. Budge beat T. G. de Clive Lowe, 2 and 1; M. Alexander beat E. Harper. 7 and 5. One Tree Hill.—ln the semi-final of the junior championship at One Ti*ee Hill, J. Gilmour beat A. Tuke 4 and 3, and J. M. Elliffe beat H. Worsley, 3 and 2. A flag match was won by G. C. St. George, who got to the 19 th. Akarana Ladies.—Fii'st round: Miss Dari'ach beat Miss Walrond, 7 and 6; Miss Peet beat Miss Court, 4 and 3; Miss Tyler-Davis beat Mrs. Gilmoi'e, 8 and 6; Miss Cox beat Miss Pari’, 5 and 4; Mrs. Cox beat Mrs. Symes, 1 up on the 19th; Miss Miller won by default from Mrs. Ellis. Mrs. Farnley beat Mrs. Mueller, 2 up. Second round: Miss Darrach beat Miss Peet, 8 and 7; Miss Cox beat Miss Tyler-Davis, 5 and 3; Mrs. Cox beat Miss Miller, 6 and 5; Mrs. McCarthy beat Mrs. Farnley, 7 and 5. Third round: Miss Darrach beat Miss Cox, 2 up; Mrs. McCarthy beat Mrs. Cox, 8 and 6. Final: Miss Darrach beat Mrs. McCarthy, 3 and 2. Paeroa. —The Paei'oa Club closed its season on Satui'day. The weather was not favourable, but there was a large attendance of members. Twelve-hole medal rounds were played by ladies and men for trophies presented by Mr. A. F. Stedman, the club president. The ladies’ match was won by Miss L. Thorp, and Mr. Hollis won the men’s competition. Aftei' the games the members assembled in the clubhouse, where the trophies won during the season were presented by the president as follows: Ladies.—Championship, Mrs. H. H. Bray; club handicap, Mrs. F. C. Hubbard; rose bowl, Miss F. Walmsley; Miss Thorp’s trophy, Miss I. Masters; Miss Tierney’s trophy, Miss I. Masters; Mrs. Hubbard’s trophy, Airs. Bray; Airs. Edwards’s trophy, Airs. F. Hubbard; firstyear players, All's. AlcDonald. Alen.—Senior club handicap, H. Bray, jun.; club handicap, H. Thorp; flag match, R. L. Aliller; bogey matches, R. L. Aliller and T. Aloresby. Thames.—The Thames Golf Club’s president’s cup has been won for the second time by A. S. Gray, with an aggregate of 152 for the best two out of three 18hole rounds. Gray defeated Purnell by 3 and 2. Gray has also qualified for the final of the club’s open championship, in which he will meet R. Dodd.

S. Morpeth 76 78 76 73 303 *A. J. Shaw 76 80 78 76 305 *J. McIntosh 76 78 74 78 30i| K. Ross (Dunedin) 78 74 77 77 30o *R. C. Butters .. . 76 78 77 78 309 T. H. Horton .. .. 81 72 82 76 311 *E. S. Douglas .. . 80 77 72 84 313 H. P. Dale 81 79 75 81 316 •G. Forrest -81 78 84 74 319 S. Colbeck 81 78 84 74 319 •J. A. Clements 81 81 82 75 319 W. B. Reilly .. . 80 78 86 75 319 A. G. Sime 81 82 77 81 321 B. V. Wright 83 84 7b 79 321 J. L. Black 79 78 81 83 321 M. MacBeth 88 78 76 79 321 *F. Branch 83 80 79 80 322 •H. R. Blair 77 85 80 81 323 H. A. Black 70 80 84 81 324 *G. W. Ritchie .. . 88 79 79 79 325 J. Goss S3 81 81 80 325 R. Wagg S2 82 79 83 326 G. F. Barnett .. . 80 81 81 84 326 J. Millard 84 86 78 83 327 C. B. Wight 85 80 82 80 327 *T. Galloway .. 82 86 84 76 328 A. R. Blank . . . S3 84 82 79 328 R. Richmond .. 77 81 87 85 330 E. M. Macfarlane S2 85 82 82 331 ♦J. Lambie S4 86 86 76 332 J. G. D. Duncan 85 82 83 82 332 D. Grant 86 77 87 83 333 J. D. Lawrence 86 88 80 79 333 F. C. Fryer .. ... S6 83 84 80 333 N. Louisson 86 93 84 80 333 E. J. Pumphrey . 76 89 85 89 334 H. \V. Macfarlane . 86 85 84 89 339 *.J. Forrest 84 81 85 85 335 I). H. Butcher .. . 87 79 86 83 335 *L. Ross 89 86 82 79 336 *B. J. Smith 84 81 85 86 336 A. C. Seymour .. . 85 85 81 86 337 J. E. Matheson .. . 89 81 81 86 337 M. Duncan .. .. . 88 84 82 86 340 W. G. Wight 86 87 82 87 342 W. Clayton 89 85 86 83 343 H. C. Stevens .. . 86 83 89 Xft 343 i. A. Mangan .. . 88 83 88 84 343