HORTON’S COMEBACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1938, Page 7

HORTON’S COMEBACK

AGAIN WINS MASTERTON GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP COLLINS BEATEN IN FINAL YESTERDAY. CONCLUDING TOURNAMENT RESULTS. After one of the most dramatic struggles ever seen on the Lansdowne links, T. H. Horton won the championship at the Masterton Golf Club's tournament, which was brought to a successful conclusion yesterday. He defeated D. C. Collins, Featherston, 1 up at the 24th after three and a half hours’ play. The match should have finished at the 17th hole, when Horton, to the amazement of the crowd, missed an 18 inch putt which would have given him a win 2 and one. Prior to the tournament, Horton had not touched a club since October and the “come-back” he staged was one of the most notable recorded in amateur golf in recent years. Neither of .the players played particularly good golf, but the match was full of unusual incident and kept the large gallery keyed to a high pitch of excitement. The tricky greens had the best of both players, Horton in particular. Collins lost the match because he failed to take ■ advantage of Hatton’s lapses. On the fairways, which were in splendid order, the players were about even and it was on the greens that the match was decided. Horton was unlucky when he missed his putt on the 17th as his ball was in a 'slight depression caused by a carelessly placed flag.

Much of the credit for the success of the tournament was due to Mr H. M. A. Major, the popular tournament secretary, who has acted in that capacity for the past nine years. The cups and trophies were presented to the successful competitors by the president of the club, Mr G. W. Sellar, who expressed pleasure at the large number of entries, particularly from outside players. He congratulated Mr Horton on his success in the championship and said that the standard of play produced by both men was good. Great credit, he said, was due to the caretaker for the splendid state of the links. The cards of the finalists read: — Horton: 5,5, 4,4, 5,5, 5,4, 5,4, 4,4, 2,5, 4,3, 5,5, 5,5, 4,4, 4, 4. Collins: 5,4, 4,5, 5,5, 6, .2,5, 4,3, 5, 3,5, 3,4, 5,4, 5,5, 4,4, 4, 5. The finals resulted as follow:— Championship. Final: Horton beat Collins, 1 up at the 24th. Lansdowne Handicap. Final: Plummer beat Henderson, 1 up. Group No. 1. Final: Horton Junr. beat Hodder, 9 and 8. Group No. 2. Final: Donald beat J. W. Card, 5 and 4, Group No. 3. Final: Booth beat Thompson, 4 and 3. Group No. 4. Final: Blundell beat Tatham, 2 up. Group No. 5. Final: Saunders beat Kibblewhite, 1 up. Group Nd.' 6. Final: R. G. Mackie beat R. Chand1 up. Group No. 7. Final: R. C. Hodgins beat C. C. Marsack, 2 and 1. Group No. 8. Final: A. F. Stewart beat W. M. Maxwell, 3 and 2. Medal Competition. B. Cullerton 70; E. Henderson 70. Fourball Bogey. J. Coom and R. B. Cameron, 5 up. Stableford Competition. R. Plummer 36. First Medal. Blundell 70. “HOLE IN ONE.” Playing against J. Card in one of the Groups, J. Donald, of Bideford, holed his tee shot in one at the eighth green.