Brilliant Golf

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 628, 3 April 1929, Page 10

Brilliant Golf

FIGHT FOR PROVINCIAL TITLE Morpeth Beats Black (Written for THE SUN by EARL ROBIESON) VERY seldom has it fallen to the lot of a New Zealand golf gallery to see a finer and more brilliant final than that in which Sloan Morpeth of Titirangi, open champion, beat J. L. Black, of Hamilton, runner-up to the amateur, in the final of the provincial championship at Titirangi yesterday,

THE match went to the last green, and was packed with incidents which will long remain in the memories of the several hundred who devoted the afternoon to watching it. Morpeth played the better golf, and deserved to win on his play, but Black enhanced his reputation as a great fighter and a player who is never beaten for a “come-back.” Throughout the match Morpeth held the advantage with his terrific length, but he only had to make the slightest mistake and Black was taking advantage of it. It was after Black, fighting against a lead all the way, had squared the match and got a lead of one that Morpeth really let his driver fly, and at the 15th, 16th and 17th he simply left his opponent scratching. At the 16th Black hit a. beautiful tee shot with the wind, covering about 280yds. Morpeth took the direct line to the pin and slammed a ball into the hollow in front of the green—lsyds short of the pin, and the surveyed distance of the hole is 355yds. The last few holes simply left Black too much to do. OUTSTANDING SHOTS There were three shots in the match which deserve mention. At the second Morpeth had to play his second first, and he used a No. 1 iron into the teeth of a high wind, and found the middle of the green. Black retaliated with a brassey shot that elated the gallery. At the fourth Morpeth was on the green and Black bunkered. The betting was five to one on Morpeth getting a win. Black went within 6in of holing out from the bunker, and Morpeth took three putts. At the 11th, 170yds into a gale, Morpeth used a No. 1 iron and caught the green. Black used a brassey and was bunkered short, in a particularly wretched looking position. Any odds at all were available against the history of the fourth hole being repeated—but it was. Black won the hole in three, and was only one down instead of the three down that looked almost inevitable. NO THREES FOR MORPETH Morpeth simply could not get a three on his card, and he negotiated the first half with nine fours in a row. "When the position was tallied up at halfway, Morpeth was out in 36; Black was two down, and was out in 38; and the gallery had been delighted with some really magnificent golf on both sides. Black had holed out in two from 60yds away at the third to save a loss, had stymied himself on the sixth, and had negotiated a three-quarter stymie, laid by Morpeth, on the seventh. Morpeth had recorded three putts on the fourth, had saved with a very nice approach and putt at the eighth, and had played a most brilliant ninth. STRAIGHTER GOING Apart from the incidents at the 11th the next four holes were straight going, Morpeth losing one at the long 12th, where he cut a mashie into the ti-tree. On the short 14th Black displayed rare judgment with a tricky borrow on the green, and thereby became one up. Two fives followed, Morpeth appearing to be careless with a short putt. Then Morpeth nearly drove the 355vd 16th and got a four. Black failing with the approach up the bank. Both took the difficult line to the left at the 17th. but two fine seconds caught the green.

Black failed with a two to three-foot putt, and Morpeth was dormy one. to be conceded the match on the 18th green., where he first spoilt the line for Black’s approach putt, and then added injury by closing up the line for Black’s second, which was, however, of very missable length indeed. Morpeth’s medal round was 77 and Black’s 79. Morpeth ie looked upon a 6 a certainty for the Kirk-Windeyer Cup team to visit Australia this year, and if the picking of the team is to be solely on merit Black's, name must be one of those prominently before the New Zealand Golf Council. Runner-up to the Open in 1922 and 1923, runner-up to the amateur in 1928, and beaten by onb hole in a great match with Morpeth, Black, has earned the consideration he has strived so hard to obtain. COMPETITION RESULTS In the various competitions played during the tournament the results not already recorded were: First Bogey Handicap.—J. Carnachan (11), 6 up; A. J. Good (8), 3 up; A. H. Magson (9), 3 up. Medal Handicap.—W. R. Vercoe, 89, 18 —71; V. Humphreys, 81, 9 —72; B. J. Smith, 78, 5—73; C. G. Fisher 84, 11—73. These particularly good scores were recorded on Monday afternoon under perfect conditions. Bogey.—S. Hunter, J. C. Wilson and H. E. Kissling, all 2 down. The event was decided on the putting green, Hunter winning. Foursome.—C. G. Johnson and H. E. Kissling, 1 down; F. Hazledon and B. J. Smith, 2 down. At the conclusion of the final, Mrs. w. J. A. Thompson, wife of the president, presented the prizes. Other Final Results H. L. BLACK AT WELLINGTON. (Special to THE SUN) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. In the final of the Wellington provincial golf championship, H. L. Black easily defeated L. D. Hurst. The match ended on the 12th green. Hurst did not win a hole. HUGGINS AT NELSON NELSON Tuesday. In the final of the provincial golf championship to-day F. W. Huggins beat N. Rout at the 23rd hole. Both players belong to the Nelson Golf Club. AMATEUR CHAMPION SUCCEEDS PALMERSTON N., Tuesday. In the final round of the Manawatu golf championship to-day T. H. Horton (Masterton) defeated A. E. Ekstedt (Manawatu), by 3 up and 2. NEW PLYMOUTH EVENT NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday. In the final of the Taranaki amateur golf championship to-day, C. H. Stephenson (New Plymouth) defeated G. M. Chong (New Plymouth). J. Harold (Wanganui) and P. Grey (New Plymouth) were the other semi-finalists.