GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1916, Page 7

GOLF.

N.Z. GOLF CHAMPION IN KHAKI. E. S. DOUGLAS''PHENOMENAL CAREER. Golfers throughout New Zealand have responded well to the eall of the khaki, and the professions have proved that they can shoulder a ride as well as they can swing a golf club. Up to the present dale six members of the. thirteen who form the Professional Golfers' Association are with the colors, which is .quite a good average. They are: G. Forrest, lnvcrcargill G.C.: R. G. Butters, New Brighton G.C.; H. Stewart, Napier (!.(.!.; W. B. Simpson, lute of Miramar G.C.; G. L. Martin, Palmerston North G. C.; and the open champion, E. S. Douglas, Miramar G.C. Douglas has had a brilliant career during his short time in New Zealand. Arriving from San Francisco some three years ago, where he was professional at the famous Del Monte links, lie has kept his opponents busy over here in tournaments. Douglas learnt his golf at Nairn, and was professional at Caedross, in Scotland, before he started out for the U.SA. That he served up sensations over there is proved hy a cutting from the San Francisco Call, which was sluown to the writer. It says: "A new dark horse has entered the local field of golf in the person of E. S. Douglas, who took fourth honors in the recent open tourney at Ingleside. He was entirely unknown until he made application for admission to the tourney, and had never I seen the Ingleside links, yet on the evening preceding the event managed to leave his work in time to cover nine holes in 33 strokes." This was all the practice he had to finish fourth to the best professionals in America, such as McSmith, Brady, G. Smith, etc.

SOME MERITORIOUS DISPLAYS. In New Zealand he entered as a "dark horse," and nerved up sensations in every event he played in. His first tourney was the open at Dunedin some four months after his arrival, and the players who were there were hearing all kinds of things about his play. The disbelievers were soon settled, "for he opened with a 77, and followed this up with a brilliant 71, beating the record of the course by seven strokes. This round smashed up the field and put him nine strokes in the lead, which he held until the end of the tourney, winning by nine strokes and an aggregate of 303. There was no fluke about it, as he got into lots of trouble on a troublesome course, but his knowledge and skill proved victorious. In (he Professional Championship he reached the semi-final and met Clements, who was at the top of his form. Douglas was three down and four to play. Then followed four holes as full of first-class and brilliant golf as any golfer would ever want to see. 3—3—4 Douglas ran up, and they were all square and one to play. Last green—Douglas lying dead, Clements four yards away, and a glassy downhill putt before him to win. He hit the ball, and how it stayed in few ever knew, for it banged the tin, jumped up, then fell in. Douglas was beaten after a great struggle. The Heretaunga tournament, which followed, saw him again "amongst the money," Clements being the winner, Douglas second.

His second open championship was at Auckland, and at this meeting he served up some great golf, and after seemingly being clean out of it came along and won. His first round was 185. Then he followed this by'a record score of 71. This score brought him into the probable stage, as A. S. Duncan had a good lead. A round to go Sir. Duncan was five strokes to the good, and it was any odds him winning. Still Douglas set out and played a steady game, finishing in 77. The unexpected happened—as it often does in golf—and Mr. Duncan broke down after finding some trouble, and Douglas won his second championship by one stroke—aggregate 312. At this meeting Douglas also won the professional championship after a great uphill game with McEwen.

HIS MOST REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE. His greatest performance was his victory at Heretaunga Christmas tournament, 1014. His task there seemed absolutely impossible, but his determination again won him the first prize, lies, with two great rounds, was leading him 12 strokes, and two rounds to play, and was playing so well that he lookfd iike winning easily. Douglas, however, got going, and when he gets properly under way a score near a record is registered. Playing perfect golf, with only one mistake, he returned a 70 and pulled four strokes off the leader. It seemed a hopeless task he set out on in the final round—to take eight strokes off Ties to tie—but he tool: it on, and all kinds of risks as well, risks which cost him a stroke or two. He knew what lies was doing, as he was playing before lies, and playing against luck, and his opponent's score was a stiff proposition, but he beat the opposition down and won by one 3troke, finishing the round in 71, his aggregate being 2flG. Tt was a great effort, and he deserved all the congratulations he got that day. RECORDS nELD BY DOUGLAS. Douglas also holds the records of the following links in medal play: Dunedin 71, Auckland 71, Nelson 70, Wanganui 71. He has also holed out at Heretaunga in 70 (record 08), Miramar 08 (record 07). To win two opens in two attempts, besides his other performances stamps him as New Zealand's best golfer, ami all golfers will wish him well and trust that when he comes back he will be able to play as well as in days gone, and put up as many sensational rounds as lie did before he donned the khaki. The pluck and determination he displayed on the links of New Zealand will stand him in good stead in the game of war of which he has become a voluntary member. The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Golf Club will probably be held on March .22. The programme for the annual Easter tournament to be held at Waiwakaiho i", now being drawn up. The usual prizes will not be given, and the proceeds will go to the Patriotic Fund. The annual report of the Karori Club states that new links have been obtained on the Main Karori road, and the committee expects to have the course ready for play in April. A southern exchange states that few clubs will hold their annual championships or inter-club matches this year.