GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 June 1921, Page 3

GOLF.

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. HCTCHINSOH LEADING. | KIRKWOOD CLOSE UP. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, June 23. The leaders in the first round of the golf championship arc: Hutchinson 72. Kineh 73, Massey, Duncan, Hagen and Kerrigan 74, Herd and Hunter 75, Kirkwood, Havers and White 76, Vardon 7*, Mitch All 78, Ball and Ockenden 79, Taylor and East 81. The aggregates for the first two rounds are: Hutchinson 147, Ray, Barnes (America) US, Duncan, Herd, Massey and MacLean 149, Kineh, Kirkwood, Havers and Williamson 150, Hills 151, Braid 152. Kirkwood is hardly playlngx with the complete assurance and confidence which characterised his play in Australia. To-day he itad a tendency to heel his drives and spare his approaches. Nevertheless, he is still well in the picture. Though the Australian spectators were somewbht disappointed at Kirkwood's falling away In the last nine holos this afternoon, all agreed that he had done marvellously well in bringing Australia to the front in the golf world. Kirkwood is not worried, and is full of confidence for the last rounds, for which Gnssiat (a Frenchman) is his partner. London. June 23. Kirkwood was the earliest to commence the first round of the championship proper. He did not find top form for lhe first nine holes, for which be took 39. Coming home he ma.de no mistakes, but had the hardest luck three times, just missing, long putts. He began at the first hole, and fluffed his second shot into the famous Swilcan Burn. At the second he had hard luck in missing a ten-yard putt for three. He has his first bad drive at the 4th, where he sliced off the fairway among the hummocks. He recovered well, but socketed his approach to the sixth. He sliced his ! drive into the bunkers, but recovered well. In the result, he took six. The next three were faultless. Kirkwood's second round was played in warm sunshine, and waft notable for its brilliance. The first nine holes took only 34, but homewards he threw away half a dozen strokes and took 40. His figures outward were: 5,5, 3,4, 5, 3,4, 2, 3,-34. Homewards he took 4,5, 4,5, 4, 5 4,5, 4 —lO. At first. Kirkwood began badly. He sliced his drive off the course near the marquee enclosure, and he had to have a tent-peg removed in order to play his second. He courageously took wood and recovered finely. Homewards he played with .magnificent steadiness, driving splendidly, flartlculariy at the IGtli, where he took the line for his drive along the railway, trusting to the wind to bring it over. At the 17th (45G yards), ho made a glorious second with the baffy, and finished three yards from the pin. The green beat him again at the second. : whore he almost holed his first putt. At the third, after a perfect drive and approach. he holed 'a four yard putt. The 6th was the next eventfui hole. There he .holed a putt from outside the green fully twenty yards. There wefe great cheers at the shot. His eighth tee. shot laid him two yards from the pin, and he holed the putt.

Homewards his troubles began. At the eleventh his iron shot from the tee swerved into a pot-hole. He got. it out with a niblick at right angles, but found the corresponding pot-hole on the left side. A fine four at the long 141 k was due to a splendid second with a baffy. At the 15th he missed a yard putt for a four. At the 17th he had to get a niblick chip over a pot-bole.