The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-19
WHfGHAM STILL THE AMATEUR
GOLF CHAMPION of THE
UNITED STATES.
YOUNG Belts 0UTcLASsED.
YALE JUNIOR PUT UP A PLUCKY
FIGHT FOR THE NATIONAL
HONORS.
THE WESTERN MAN IN FINE FORM.
At No Time Was He in Any Danger
OF Defeat-Tyo Rounds
Played.

CHICAGO, Sept. 18-Henry James
WIhigham, Of the Onwentsia club, still
holds the title of amateur golf cham
pion Of the United States. w. Rossitter
Belts, the young Yale junior, who came
to the tournament as the representa-
tive of the Shinnecock Hills Golf club,
was defeated with ease by the cham
pion in the finals played at Wheaton
this afternoon. Eight up and six to
play was the score, and at no time
was the Western man in danger of be-
ing defeated by his youthful opponent.
The first round Of the finals was fin
ished with Whigham seven up on W.
j. Belts, Of the Shinnecock Hills club.
From the start it was evident that
Belts was outclassed, and that his
chances were very small Whigham
had the honor and started off with a
fair drive, Belts following with bet
ter. Belts second was topped and went
into the bunker, but he got out we'll
and was on the green on four. Wing
ham was close to the hole in four and
took the hole in five, leaving him one
UP. Both drove well to the second, but
Belts, by a fine approach, was on the
edge of the green in two. Whigham
took three to get on the green, and the
hole was halved in five. Again they
drove all we'll, but Belts second stroke
was terribly putted. He made UP for
this by good approach, and Wing
ham missing put they were both
four. Belts missed his next and the
hole went to Whigham in five. Whig-
ham drove to the right and topped his
next shot, going out of bounds with his
third stroke.
This bad playing ought to have Civ
Ell Belts the hole, but he seemed equal
ly demoralized, and the hole was final
ly halved in seven. In the next hole
Whigham, by a beautiful stroke, got
within eight feet Of the hole in two,
and Belts gave it to him after miss
ing his fifth stroke. Whigham was
then three up. Belts played badly for
the sixth and gave it up to Whigham
He made it in eight Belts played
much better for the seventh hole, and
Whigham, getting bunkered, the for
mer by a fine put came up so close
that Whigham gave him the hole.
Whigham was then three up. Belts
drove badly for the eighth, and, though
he made a good strike, went past the
hole into an observation tent with
his second, horrible place. He got
out we'll, but Whigham holed his ball
in four, making him four up once more.
At the ninth hole Whigham lofted
with better aim than his opponent, and
he took the hole in three. Next, in at
tempting to loft over the pond, Wing
ham drove past the pond, but the ball
skipped along the top and landed on
the shore. Belts missed a two-foot
put, and the hole was ha1ved in fouS.
The next was halved in five, making
Whigham four up, but Belts took the
twelfth in four. and the thirteenth was
halved in, six. The fourteenth: Wing
ham gave to Belts. who made it iii
four, leaving Whigham only three up.
The next four holes went to Wing
ham, leaving him seven up, eighteen to
play.
FINAL ROUND. .~--.....
When the men came to the
teeing ground for the drive off
in the afternoon, Whigham sent his
ball out with long, clean drive.
Belts followed with drive even furth-
er, fully 225 yards. Whigham followed
with a long brassie shot, and Belts
showed his golfing ability by making
difficult brassie shot from hanging
lie on the slope of hill. Whigham' S
third practically gave him the hole,
laying the ball on the green within
twelve feet from the hole. He was out
in two more Belts missed his fifth, a
putt for the half Going to the next
hole, the men played equally through
the green, and the hole was halyed in
five. With even drives from the next