The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-09
Amateur Championship Captured by
Herbert NJ. Hartman, Of the Mead
OVERLOOK Club, Long Island.
DOUGLASS WAS OUT OF FORM
AND FAILED TO PLAY As WELL As
HE DID LAST YEAR.
Result Of the Tournament Expected to
Popularise the Game I'm the United
sfates-Features Of the Playing.


Hartman. of the Meadowbrook Golf Club,
of Hampstead, L. T.. to-day won the anna
teur golf championship Of America from
E1ndlay s. Douglass, who won the cham
pionship last year. The score was three up
two to play The game was by long odds
the most exciting that has been played In
the weeks tournament, and when the Old
Princeton football player finally holed down
on the thirty-fourth, bringing the coveted
championship to himself, the crowd broke
into enthusiastic cheering. and Hartman
was nearly lifted or his feet by the crush
TO congratulate him.
For the first time since amateur golf
championship tournaments have been held
in America an American-born golfer holds
the honors and this fact was most COM
mented on by golfers tonight. who believe
Il will go far toward popularizing the game
An the United States Harriman's work with
the irons during the morning play was Pro-
nounced the prettiest seen during the tour
nament, although the medal score. 81, was
one more than that made by Douglass
earlier In the week. But his playing was
marvel Of steadiness and although Douglass
almost invariably outdrove him. the differ
ence was not enough to materially anect
the result and the Meadowbrook mans ap-
Douglass to play the odd in nearly every
instance. Old golfers. men who learned the
rame on the links In Scotland, pronounced
Harriman's play superior TO that ever shown
I'm a tournament in the United States and
fully equal to amateur play in Scotland.
Douglass on the contrary. especially dur
ing the morning was sadly out OF form on
his putting and, although during the after
noon he made a remarkably game uphill
fight the handicap Of eight down, the result
of the mornings play. was too great Tor
him to overcome. Conditions were far more
favorable for frst-class golf during the
morning the high wind which swept over
the links rendering good driving extremely
difficult on the first. second. third. TENTH
eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and four
teenth holes. But this. apparently. did not
affect the playing Of either man and their
! drives were nearly always long and spien-
didly placed. But Dougass's poor short iron
work was fatal. Time and again during the
morning he lost holes or missed opportuni-
lies TO haIve by missing puts of from one
10 two yards
During the afternoon the young Scotch
man. with the score nine up in favor Of
Hartman, played desperately. Playing
Ioxey or better and taking advantage OF any
nisplay by his opponent, Douglass slowly
but surely reduced the lead. But at last an
error OF Judgment settled the question. On
the thirty-fourth. the baby hole, where
Douglass had fallen short I'm the morning.
he used his brassie and drove far beyond
into the trees. Hartman smiled grimly as
he saw the little gutta percha ball agn nt.i IN
his ball TO a beautiful lie squareiy on the
green. with that shot disappeared Doug
Hartman hoIed his ball and the champion
ship was lost and won:
Mr. Douglass took his defeat good naInr,
plays splendid golf." he said. Mr.. Harri-
man put up one of the prettiest short games
AGAINST such a game Ii would be hard for
anyone to win. / was badly on In my put
tiLg. and this cost me the Championship nn apifsr
will undoubtedly have the effect OF slim
ulating golf in this country. The officials
highly pleased at the success of the tourna-
ment : The fact that the championship
has been won by Player VINO giy mas asau are
saia P1ssid sna W Thomas to-ngt sne
the condition OF the links has been perfect
and given the best test of the golfers skill
On account Of the drought In the early sum
mer in the East It would have been I'm;
condition as that OF the Onwentsia Club
At the annual meeting OF the delegates In
New York no club had offered Its links for
the championship. The Onwentsia Club
generously offered their course and the
seryices OF the members Of the club TO take
charge Of this event. The officers OF the
association are under obligation to the
club for generously helping US out OF what
might have been a serious dilemma and a
misfortune to the sport Too great praise
cannot be given to the club and its officers
for the wonderful management of the tour
Eament. Every requirement for cham.
pionship event was met in the most
thorough manner"
Mr. Douglass found some consolation In
his defeat for the championship by winning
the three-handed tie for the bronze media
in the Qualifying round Monday. Douglass:
score was AZ for the nine holes played. w
]. Travis making IL In a. ID. r. Forgar
gave up at the eighth hole.
The annual golf tournament ball was hell
in the Onwentsia clubhouse tonight, mark
irg the formal closing Of the tournament Of
1899.