GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1920, Page 3

GOLF.

KIRK WOOD AT NEW PLYMOUTH. PREVIOUS RECORD UNBEATEN. A round of 72 in tho morning and 73 in tho ( afternoon were returned by J. H. Kirkwood, the open champion or Australasia, playing on the Xew Plymouth Club's links at Waiwakaiho yesterday. The bogey for the course is 79. On Ills previous visit to New Plymouth Kirkwood established a fine record of 71, so that his 'performances yesterday In unfavorable weather were of a high standard. His game was marked !.y many brilliant loles, his remarkable ■:« listency only failing once or twice. Tll *'ives were again those long and perfect:.- sti-teht balls, which drew admiration on .-evio lß visit, his approaching was "dg;. ■ • accurate yesterday, and his putting »» mixture of some wonderful shots and several others which just required a little more luck. It was fine golf, but the excellence of his play Is emphasised when the weatter is taken into consideration. A strong wind blew right across tho links, while cold showers fell in the morning and confusing sunshine preval'ed In the afternoon. , But If this tended to make matters unpleasant ir also served to test Kirkwood, for a golfer who can only play ffl »n j n flue weather is not regarded as a first-class player. It is one of the characteristics of the golf of all the really great men in England that weather is only an element to be defeated. Kirkwood yesterday showed cciatI.lete mastery over Die wind, and the way he played into the wind and brought his ball round to lie in line for the hole was a revelation. N'ot high, and Vet not too low, he would drive to tiie wind witli complete confidence, and to see the hall sweep in a curve until it was back on the lino to the hole was beautiful to watch. Only once did something go wrong, when he went over the cliff playing the seventeenth in the afternoon. But he made up for tills wil'i his second drive. The ball flew sharp to tho right and Into the wind, and appeared to be going to fall well over the cliff, hut one eottld almost see it turn in Its flight and come right on to the course again, failing in line to the green. In this, and many other shots, kirkwood showed wonderful control of his eluta, and demonstrated that a strong wind can be made a foolish affair by a true golfct*.

In the morning, Kirkwood played the beat lull of A. Smith and Dr. Wade," and he won by 4 up and 3. His round was (btigey in iwrthoneses) Out-4 (41, r, (5), 3 (.1). 5 (!!), 5 (.I), 4 (3). 4 (.1), r, 18), ,1 (5)-.3S (411. lu—3 (3), 4 (5), 3 (3), 5 (5), 3 (4), 5 (»l, 3 (3), 4 (5), 4 (5)—34 (38) —72 (Tit). In the afternoon, Kirkwood iilayed the best hall of F. s. Johns and 11. D. Butcher, and won by 9up and 7. His round was (liosey in parethesea) _Ol,t— 4 (4), 4 (5), 3 (3), 5 (5), 5 (3), 4 (»>. " ("I, C (C), 4 (31—38 (41). In—3 (3), 3 (5), 3 (3), 4 (5), 3 (-1), 5 ('>). -'1 (3), 0 (5), 5 (.-,)—33 (38)—73 (79).