CROQUET CHAMPION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 876, 21 January 1930, Page 4

CROQUET CHAMPION

FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD N.Z. TITLE MRS. TIFFEN’S SUCCESS From Our Own Correspondent. PALMERSTON N., Monday. Bv her defeat of Mrs. Pitcaithley (Hawke’s Bay) during the progress of the New Zealand croquet championships tournament on Saturday, Mrs. Tiffen, of Napier, gained for herself the double distinction of winning the Dominion open championship, and of being the first woman to hold the title. The previous holder of the title, Mr. A. G. F. Ross, of Auckland, could not compete, being absent in Australia with the New Zealand representative team. Mrs. Tiffen, who is a splendid breakplayer, and a good tactician, held the Dominion women’s championship in 1926, and the North Island open title in 1925. She was selected as a member of the New Zealand team at present playing in Melbourne, but could not make the trip. The winner of the final of the open championship is the winner of two of three games played. Mrs. Tiffen decisively won her first game against Mrs. Pitcaithley, the latter player being unable to make her hoops and missing long shots. The game finished 229,6 —9, in Mrs. Tiffen’s favour. Mrs. Pithcaithley put up a far better display in the second game, which was a much more interesting one. Mrs. Tiffen put herself a long way in the lead in the early stages of the game, until Mrs. Pitcaithley shot in the blue ball, went round in a break of nine, and pegged out Mrs. Tiffen’s red ball, leaving yellow on the third back. Up to this stage Mrs. Tiffen’s shooting had been brilliant, but she now had the greatest difficulty in shooting in. When finally Mrs. Tiffen did shoot in, with a beautiful shot to black, Mrs. Pitcaithley had taken seven hoops and was only one point behind her opponent. Mrs. Tiffen, however, was going on to win when her ball failed at the penultimate, sticking in the hoop. Mrs. Pitcaithley hit in and retired to No. 1 corner, laying a rush for the black. Mrs. Tiffen fired and missed. Failing to get position, black split up the balls, one going to the boundary. Mrs. Tiffen missed, and then Mrs. Pitcaithley missed. A second attempt by Mrs. Tiffen was successful, however, and enabled her to win the game, 26—19.