New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-18
GOLF.
FrNpLAY S. DOUGLAS WINS THE ANA
TEUR CHAMPIONSHIP.
SMITH DEFEATED IN THE FINAL ROUND ON THE
MORRIS COUNTY LINKs-LAURENcE CUR


MORRIS COUNTY LINKs-LAURENcE CUR
IT'S PRESENTS THE PRIZES.
over the now famous links at Morrstown the
Scene Of so many brilliant contests IN the Iast
week Fin6ay S. Douglas. OF the fairheiu
County Golf Club won the American amateur
golf championship yesterday by defeating wal
ter B. Smith OF Chicago. Douglas. tnoush d
,1nember OF the Fairfield County club, is
'Bcotchman from Old St. Andrews "heie ioi
TWO years he held the captaincy OF the varsity
team To him golf is game that ne mas KNOW"
and played since a "wee laddie" just old enough
10 swing a club and to this fact is due much OF
mis- success in the recent tournament. He mas
aaken little part In the matches held this sea-
son and with the exception OF the spring
tournament at Lakewood. where he beat wing
ham, who then champion he has appeared
1n none of the larger contests on metropolitan
links a weeks practice at Morris county JUST
before the championship was practically tne
only preparation he was able 10 make MS
victory yesterday against a man VINO IL coh
sidered by shrewd judges the most expert u
,bor,ebrsd plavers. and in a tournament where
more than hundred contestants were entered
proves him to be unquestonably the leading
golfer In this country to-day. His coolhess I'M
der irving conditions his ability TO seize favor
ebIe openings his absolute imperturoapiiity'
his accuracy and speed. all combine to make his
game one Of unusual brilliancy
Unlike Smith he has a finished style that
makes his game attractive one 10 "atch'
There is no apparent effort to his strokes yet
,here is q force in them and q confidence back OF
Them that nothing excel He beat smith Dy
a up and 2 to playa score that SHOWS
the closeness of the struggle. When the last
nut had been made the crowd surrounded the
green and many glad hands were EXTENDED IN
eongratulation The applause was continued all
The wav to the clubhouse. and when Douglas en-
tered the tent he greeted by storm OF
cbsers Laurence Curtis. president OF the
limited States Golf Association, presented hin
The championship medal. Douglas took his VIC
tory with characteristic nodesty, and talked
very little after 1t was over He took tram
almost Immediately for his home In Greenwich
Conn.
"Tbe tournament has been perfectly man.
aged" said he, In reply to the Congratulations
of some Of his friends. 1.-The contestants have
been men whom 1t was a pleasure to meet ana
! confess TO an honest pride at my success IN
such company
large number Of the Fairfield Club players
xxAra nresent 10 see him win. and they were
1ubilant at his victory. Preparations were
made for holding a jollification meeting IN the
ahead to soak OF the haymows on tiie
Fairfield links with ell In order that there might
he enough illumination for the other members
NJ the club to see Douglas make one or MS
championship strokes.
ThrouChOut the week the management or the
tournament was superb. and too much cahho'
be said in praise Of those who bad II IN chaise'
Approaching the heavy expense under winch
the club was placed the Executive Commit'ee
OF the United States Golf Association heio
special meeting in the clubhouse yesteuay
morning and voted $1,000 from the reserve
fund in the treasury toward defraying the cost
Of the meeting A similar action was taken al
last years championship IN Chicago. so that the
committee had abundant precedent for the
move
THE tournament was the most successfu!
ever held in this country. and the best man
n won" was the comment OF q prominent member
of the Morris County Club. and that sentiment
was doubtless voiced by every one present
The day was excessively hot and even cloth
ing OF the lightest and thinnest texture proved
a burden But. in spite Of the heat the cro"o
was the largest of the week. The afternoon
trains from this city brought hundreds OF V's-
tors 10 the links and more than a thousand
people watched the play. Smith was perhaps
more Of a favorite than Douglas. though this
deal of quiet betting done before the
match though not many large wagers were re-
corded over in the big tent. where most OF
the players congregated. Douglas was con-
sidered so of winning that odds OF III 10 d
were given against the Chicago man.
Neither man played the game which marked
the semi-fnal round on the previous day Smith
was noticeably weak in his putting, while his
driving, usually his strong suit. was badly on at
several critical points. One of his foozles. how
ever was due to the omnpresent photographers.
who seemed always In the wrong place. in spite
of the efforts OF the committee and It's aids to
keen them within bounds. Just as Smith was
about to drive from the twelfth tee half
dozen of these men, who had escaped the watch
full eye Of George Kip. snapped their cameras
directly behind him. and Smith. who was keyed
up for the stroke IN ado complete failure OF it,
Forty caddie boys carried a long rope In front
OF the moving crowds and with this precaution
the links were kept reasonably clear for the
contestants With Douglass victory the pupils
OF the st. Andrews SCHOOL" the players Of
that famous Scotch club are designated abroad.
have swept the board Of this years champion
shps Fred TAFT, who won the amateur
championship of Great Britain at Hoylake last
spring is a ST. Andrews golfer; so is Peter
Anderson who has recently taken the Aus
tralian championship in Melbourne. and who.
by the way, is classmate OF Douglas IN 81.
Andrews University, while In this country both
Hurd the open champion. and Douglas, yester-
DAVIS victor are from the same noted organiza-
ton.
Smith is a Yale undergraduate and the cham
pion OF the university. He will return to New
Haven In a few days for his senior year there.
His home is In Lake Forrest. Ill. a suburb OF
Chicago He entered from the Onwentsia Golf
Club Of that place. the same club Of which
xNhinhnrn the exclamation Is a menber His