North Island Stroke-Play Golf

A 22-year-old Gisborne golfer, Eric Gordon, bettered some of the country's top amateur golfers to win the North Island stroke-play championships, held in shocking weather on the Poverty Bay Club's course earlier this month.

Leading from the first round, Gordon, who is a brother of international Frank Gordon, was not deterred by the biting southerly wind and its accompanying rain and hail showers, to return a final card of 296, two strokes ahead of his nearest rival, J. P. Means, of Wanganui.

The reigning New Zealand champion, E. J. McDougall, of Taupo, did not strike form, and had to be content with fifth-equal place.

Teeing off at the sixth on his final round, Gordon follows the flight of his ball.

Runner-up J. P. Means watches anxiously as his ball heads towards the green

Youthful Taupo golfer T. S. Leach, who took third place, lines up a putt.

Veteran New Zealand representative Stuart Jones, of Hastings, did not have a happy final round. Starting on a par with Gordon, he dropped six strokes to take fourth place. He is pictured contemplating a long putt.