GOLF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2599, 6 September 1909, Page 6

GOLF.

POVERTY BAY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP. From the serious countenances of the players as they assembled on tlie links on Saturday afternoon, it was clearly apparent to even the most casual observer that a competition of more than usual importance was on the card. His belief became a certainty when it was noted with what careful attention clubs were examined and overhauled, grips adjusted, and balls discarded that were not absolutely perfect in the eyes of the critical judges. AH this extra care and precaution was occasioned by ( the opening of the tournament which was to decide who was to hold the coveted title of champion of the Poverty Bay Golf Club for the 1909 season. The weather conditions were as perfect as could . possibly be desired. There was no wind to speak of, and a dull cloud haze made the light just golfers desire. Two of the sixteen players who had qualified on the previous Saturday were* displaced bv W. R. Barker and H. W. Barker, who qualified on Thursday and Friday respectively. The order of play was as follows: P. Keiha v. J. Howie. . G. M. Dodgshun v. J. H. Bull. W. R. Barker v. J. W. Chirnside. W. V. R. Luttrell v. W. B. Willock. Geoff. Willock v. F. H. W. Traill. W. A. J. Gibson v. Dr. Moore-Samp-son. _ _ Rex Willock v. L. T. Brown. W. A. O’Meara v. H. W. Barker. The competition started at 1.30, Gibson and Dr. Moore-Sampson being the first to tee up. They were followed by the veterans, Pare Keiha (the holder of the title) and J. SHowie, while the others followed promptly until all the candidates for the championship honors were out on the links, and the battle for the blue riband of golf in the district was raging all along the line. The links and greens were in capital order, thanks to the thoughtfulness of the hon. secretary (Mr. F. H. W. Traill), who had a good look round with the groundsman during the week to see that everything was in order for the recording of good rounds. The play during the afternoon was of a high standard, and in all but three instances the players were evenly matched, and no game was won by a larger margin than 2 up, Tlie following were the results: Dodgshun beat Bull, 1 up.—The meeting of these players provided a capital contest. It was considered that the former would have no difficulty in winning by a fair margin, especially as he has been recording capital rounds during the season. But the captain of the club has a knack of rising to the occasion, and the bigger the event the better does he play. This was the case on Saturday, and so evenly were the pair matched that they were alt square at the 17th green. They played stroke for stroke going to the home green, and Dodgshun only snatched victory by _ a putt. Dodgshun did the round in 83, and it can thus be understood what fine golf Bull was playing to make such a close match of it. Keiha beat Howie, 2 up.—lt was re-, alised that Howie had not much chance against his redoubtable opponent, who lias held the championship of the local club for the past six years. “All I hope is that! 1 will make a game of it/’ Howie remarked before leaving the pavilion.' And be did make a game of it with a vengeance. .He rose to the occasion in such style that he extended the champion to the fullest limit of his powers, and played in such brilliant form that Pare must have had visions of the honor slipping from him more than once on the round. Howie stuck to his task with such grim determination, that he was only V down at the 16th. The 17th was halved, but Howie lost a chance of halving the game by a couple of faulty shots in getting away from the tee at tho 18th, Keiha thus winning by 2 up. W. R. Barker beat Chirnside, 3 up and 1 to play. —This was one of the surprises of the afternoon. Chirnside is one of the scratch men, and was looked upon to have a possible chance of annexing the title. Walter Barker, however, was at the top of his game, and soon demonstrated beyond all doubt that he. was clearly Hie better man on the day’s play. Playing consistently and. well throughout, he won by the comfortable , margin of 3 up and j to play. ' Luttrell beat W: B, Willock, 6 up and 5 to play.—The young left-hander was in rare form, and though the veteran placed a.steady game, he had no. chance with Luttrell, who annexed hole/ .after hole, and ended; the game at the' i 3th green by winning by the large margin already stated. Geoff. Willock beat Traill, 2 up.--This match attracted a good deal of interest, as both were looked upon as strong claimants for the title. It was expected that Willock would win rather easily, as Traill has been recently laid aside for some weeks through having the misfortune to break a smallbone in his arm. On the play* there was little between the two men. Both played good golf,' and it was anybody’s game right up l to the 17th, where Willock was 1 up. By taking the last hole Willock won • by 2 up, after a real] v well-fought' contest. Gibson beat Dr. Sampson, 2 up.— The doctor started off in great style, and not only beat his opponent, but downed the Colonel as well at the first hole by running down an 8-yard putt and recording a 5. The second was halved in 4, and the 3rd in 5, the doctor again holing out with a long putt of quite 12 yards. The 4th was halved, and Dr. Sampson, with a 3, got 2 up at the sth. The sixth was halved, but Gibson then took a turn, and with' 4,3, and 4 at the 7th, Bth, and 9th worked off the deficit and got. 1 up at the turn. Gibson also took the 10th in 5. The 11th was halved, but. the. doctor with a 3 at the 12th reduced his opponent’s lead. With a 6 at the 13th, Gibson again went ahead. From this out the game was very evenly fought out, the doctor having a good chance to halve when only 1 down at the 17th. Gibsoii took the 18th in 7 to 9, and thus won a closely-fought match bv 2 up. ' Rex Willock beat L. T. Brown, 1 up.—This was the most stubbornly-con-tested game of the afternoon, and was

not decided, until 20 holes had been played. Brown played l in such good form that he was 3 up with 4 holes to go. Willock, however, here settled* down to his game, and reeled off tlie next three holes in succession, in good style. The 18th and 19th were halved, and Willock match at the -•oth green by a stroke ? after a most evenly-contested game, m which there was nothing to choose between the play of* either man. O’Meara beat H. W. Barker, 6 up and 5 to play.—O’Meara followed up the good form he has been showing in club competitions this season by making no race of it in liis match with H. W? Barker, v He reeled off ho'le after hole in groat style, and the match was all over on the 13th green, where r'Meara won by' the large margin of 6 uc with 5 to go. There were a large number of players and spectators present to witness the games, and keen interest was taken in the matches. Mrs. W. Gibson. gave afternoon tea to the large crowd present. The following is the draw for the second round of the championship on Saturday afternoon next: Keiha v. Dodgshun. W. R. Barker v. Luttrell. Geoff. Willock v. Gibson. Rex Willock v. O’Meara.