{"id":7602,"date":"2020-05-12T10:57:17","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T22:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nzopen.com\/?p=7602"},"modified":"2020-05-12T10:57:49","modified_gmt":"2020-05-11T22:57:49","slug":"blast-from-the-past-future-hall-of-famer-from-south-africa-visits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nzopen.com\/news-media\/blast-from-the-past-future-hall-of-famer-from-south-africa-visits\/","title":{"rendered":"Blast from the Past: Future Hall of Famer from South Africa Visits"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The 1938 New Zealand Open saw a future World Golf Hall Of Famer and the only South African golfer win the championship grace our shores.<\/div>\n
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The 1938 New Zealand Open was back at Otago Golf Club\u2019s Balmacewen course for the first time in 10 years. The championship was contested between November 10 – 12, and featured an excellent field including many young amateurs and the visiting professional Arthur D’Arcy “Bobby” Locke from South Africa who at the time was widely considered one of the best in the world.<\/p>\n

Having turned professional in March of 1938 at the age of 20, he was fresh from his wins in the South African Open and the Irish Open, Locke\u2019s appearance no doubt added to the interest created by the championship which drew large galleries at Balmacewen.<\/p>\n

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Bobby Locke driving off the fourteenth tee during the 1938 New Zealand Open – Otago Daily Times 14 November 1938<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Although the weather had played its part so far, on the final day, the greens were heavy following overnight rain. A northerly wind swept through in the afternoon which assisted to improve the playing conditions.<\/p>\n

Invercargill professional B.J. Smith Jr. led the field overnight with an impressive 143, one stroke ahead of Bobby Locke, Andrew Shaw and Alex Murray as well the amateurs P.G.F. Smith and W.B. Reilly.<\/p>\n

A ball out of bounds at \u201cThe Glen\u201d in the final round unsettled B.J. Smith Jr. who had matched Locke’s 72 in the morning round.<\/p>\n

Despite Andrew Shaw scoring an excellent round of 70 in his final round, lost his opportunity to clam his 8th crown and would finish runner up for the second year in a row thanks to a 77 in his third round.<\/p>\n

Bobby Locke’s class would shine through and he matched his third-round score to record 288 total and go on to clam the 1938 New Zealand Open by three strokes.<\/p>\n