New-York tribune., 1900-07-08
GOLF.
w. J. TRAVIS WINS ANA TEUR CHAMPION
SHIP OF UNITED STATES.
MEADOW BROOK PLAYER DEFEATS FINDLAY
DOUGLAS IN THE FINAL ROUND BY
. UP-coNTEsT FINISHED IN
DRENCHING STORM
DRENCHING STORM.

DkENCHl>T SIOifM
Walter J. Travis the amateur golf champion
ship the United States at Garden City yesterday
by defeating Findlay S. Douglas. up It was
spectacular victory Just before the end the thun-
der clouds which had been chasing each other
across the sky most of the afternoon unlimbered
their batteries and then followed a deluge. The
storm broke the two were playing the f1f-
teenth hole. and the finish was made in a drench-
ing downpour
In the crowd were hundreds of women. Most Of
them stayed with the gallery long after it became
evident that the storm was upon them, and their
pretty summer gowns sihouetted against the inky
black sky made a wierd sight. When they did scat
for the clubhouse it a stampede of fiutter-
ing skirts that is not often They didn't hurry;
they broke pellmell and Some found shelter In
the pigeon houses of the nearby Cartaret Gun Club.
good many got far the professionals shop,
but all were more or less drenched.
Earlier In the afternoon a similar shower had
caught the crowd. but fortunately it was at the
ninth hole. where a refreshment tent offered par
tial shelter. In this storm the big canvas tent
which contained the luncheon tables carried
down by the wind. In it at the time were about
twenty cOlOred walters. and many visitors seated
at the little tables, Among the latter were Alex
ander Nuber and Dr. f. Freyesleben. Of the Aus
tro-Hungaran Consular office in Chicago No
was seriously injured, but several had narrow
escapes from the falling tent poles When the
canvas came down those underneath could be seen
making their escape like many ants emerging
from their hill. 1t was case Of frying pan and
fire. however. for outside the rain coming
down in sheets. and of the unfortunates
glad to crawl back under the folds of the tents
until the storm
RESULT PLEAsEs THE SPECTATORS.
But aside from these unpleasant features the
contest most admirable. The success of
Travis home bred player, immensely
popular with those present, and many glad hands
extended to him in congratulation as he ap-
peared wet but smiling at the clubhouse porch
11X- tv-n ths rayiCxH tba
metropolitan championship at Garden City, and
this broader honor came the natural sequence
Of his success in that tournament Travis is
member Of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club, Of Hemp
stead. He has twice been in the semi-fnals Of
these National gatherings. but until yester-
day has he had place in the final round Douglas
halls from the Fairfield County Golf Club, of
Greenwich Conn, and in 1898 he held the cham
pionshiD title. which was won from H. J. Whgman
and later lost TO Herbert Hartman.
Starting out in the morning half yesterday Travis
the toss and chose the honor. Then followed
his opening drive. a grand one. far over the
bunker. On his approach he failed to carry the
trap guarding the green but his third dead and
he putted out in 1. Douglas weak on this hole
and the best he could do. On the second
Travis overdrove the green. the ball landing in the
bunker. but he came back nicely and managed to
halve in 3.
A characteristic drive of 230 yards started Doug
las off the third, but he failed to make the
most of his advantage his second being short and
requiring 3 to reach the green. Travis. with
grand second. was on the green and dead in g.
Douglas made frutless attempt to bring off a
long put, and Travis got the hole. TO s.
The long 5o2-yaTd fourth hole went to Douglas
In 5 to 6. Travis misjudged his second and the
ball landed IN the rough grass at the edge of the
road In attempting recover his lost distance
he overran the green, while Douglas, who had
been making no mistakes. was on the green in
and out in boyle g. AS a rule Douglas outdrove
Travis the tees, but in going to the fifth hole
the Meadow Brook man had the advantage. 1t
proved of little value. however, for both were on
the green in 2 Here Douglas miscalcuated his
approach put, running the ball well past the cup,
while Travis went up unerringiy and won the hole
in bogie 4.
TRAVIS 2NISSES SHORT PUT TO HALVB.
Travis again made the better drive from the
sixth tee though both reached the green In 2.
Then Travis. to the surprise OF the spectators,
missed a short put to halve, and Douglas won,
TO 8. The seventh halved IN after a splendid
attempt by Douglas to bring off fifteen foot put
On the eighth Travis in trouble his second
shot. which landed in the rough. His was
short, and when Douglas brought off a mastery
fifteen foot put for a the again tied.
Another piece Of misfortune nearly cost Travis the
NINTH for he put the ball into the road. and except
for a splendid approach the hole would have gone
TO Douglas AS it was, it halved in 4. Turning
for home therefore, the all even, each
having negotiated the nine holes in SO.
Facing the tenth Douglas made OF his grand
drives in the very teeth of the wind and landed
managed to reach the green in 8 Each failed to
bring of short put, and the hole finally
halved in 8
Travis had the best of the drives from the
eleventh tee but on his second he topped his
brassie into the road while Douglas pulled badly
The latter. however, made a grand recovery and
reached the green his third. Had his putting
been good his approach play the hole would
have been his but he hddled away two strokes and
finally haIved in g. Douglas had no right to let this
hole escape him. In fact. IT Douglass putting
that lost him the match In driving and brassie
plays he was invincibe, but when It came to the
green, Travis outclassed him. instance OF this
occurred the twelfth hole where both were on
the green in 2. Douglas had two for half vet he
hddled away an extra stroke, and Travis got it.
to g.
Such plays as these indicated plainly that Doug
las is not the man who the championship at
Morrstown two years ago. He lacks the accuracy
and steadiness that were characteristic at that
time Travis, on the other hand is the perfection
OF accuracy-slow, deliberate cautious but wonder
fully quick to seize favorable openings and aIwevs
reliable on the greens.
THE SCORE AGAIN EVEN
Now, the two men faced the thirteenth Travis
had the better second shot. for Douglas 10 tha
CONSERVATION Of his friends pulled the ball into
the long grass by the road and failed to get ONT on
his next But he recovered a grand cIeek shot
which carried the ball to the greeh and as Travis
putted poorly Douglas got the hole in to Z This
again squared the On the fourteenth
Douglas pounded a stump on his approacb-ar
error that cost him the hole Playing the ffteentb
he sliced his second into the gully to the right op
the hole, and he short on his approach
Travis had no difficulty in taking the hole to :
Douglas bungled badly the sixteenth taking 4
to the green. which Travis reached in g. The latter