ENGLAND EXCITED

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 974, 17 May 1930, Page 9

ENGLAND EXCITED

GIRL OF 19 BECOMES GOLF CHAMPION U.S.A. TAKES WALKER CUP Reed. 10.50 a.m. LONDON, Friday. In the final of the Ladies’ Golf Championship, Miss Diana Fishwick (England) defeated Miss Glenna Collett (America), 4 up and 3. The triumph of the 19-year-old Diana Fishwick in the golf championship was blazoned forth in newspaper contents and on their bills to an extent only comparable to a decisive test match. It was truly a remarkable effort for a girl who was playing in the championship for the first time. When the match began it was regarded that the odds were on the more experienced American, Miss Collett, but Miss Fishwick soon showed that she was in nowise overawed by the importance of the occasion, her opponent’s many victories nor the size of the crowd, most of whom were women in sports clothes.

She set about her task with painstaking calm, which she maintained to the end. The Englishwoman was not in the lead till the ninth hole, but at the end of the first round she had a commanding lead of five holes, with a stroke score of 79 to Miss Collett’s 85. “A HAPPY GIRL”

Diana’s lead was almost entirely due to Miss Collett’s wretched putting. Before the match, Miss Fishwick telephoned a London paper for which she writes golf: “I must ask you to let me off writing today. 1 am England's last hope: what a lark. Cheerio.” Miss Collett at the lunch interval settled down to putting practice, but Miss Fishwick, playing splendidly, was six up at the 24th hole, and turned five up.

Miss Collett rallied, but never looked like wiping off Miss Fishwick’s lead. The new champion received an ovation after the match. She again telephoned London and said: “The cup remains in England. lam glad I have done something to retain it.

"I could not have wished for a more sporty opponent. I desire to pay a tribute to America’s wonderful team play throughout, which was most enjoyable. I am a happy girl!”