Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-24
roul
Alexander Smith. Nassau Coun-
GOLFER TRAVIS HOME.
Does Not Expect to Defend British
Title Next Year.

Walter J. Travis, the American and Brit
ish golf champion, who arrived at New
York on the Oceanic yesterday with Mrs.
York on the Oceanic Wednesday with Mrs.
return next year to defend his title in
England. He had this to say about his
trip:
when I left New York I did not really
have much expectation Of winning the
championship and none at all after the first
two weeks at st. Andrews and Prestwick.
My game was atrociously bad-at least half
a stroke below normal. Nothing would go
right. From the day of my arrival at
Sandwich, however. things began to i'm
prove. In the st. Georges Vase was play
ing fairly well, with the exception of put
ting, which was still comparatively weak.
Two days before the championship 1 dis
carded the putting cleek l had been using
and took up an aluminium putter. borrow
ed from Mr.. Phillips, who came over with
us. 1t worked so well that / decided to
stick to 1t, although l am satisfied now
that my regular putter would have done
even better work.
Holden. scratch man from Hoylake, with
out much trouble, and in the afternoon met
Mr.. Robb, whose clubmate, Mr.. Gilbert
Whigam. had defaulted to him in the morn
ing. A late start in the morning gave me
no time to change my wet clothes, and my
wooden clubs, either. were not improved by
the soaking they had received But the
Lord was good and after hard fight the
enemy was ours.
Mr.. Murray, my next opponent, played
a much better game than l had expected,
and ! pulled out by only small margin
after losing the first two holes. My next
match against Mr.. Reade, last years
Irish champion, was the hardest struggle
had in the whole series. He outplayed me
to the fourteenth hole and was then up
with to play. He contrived, however, to
lose the four remaining holes.
I'm starting out the next morning against
Mr. Hilton. | had in mind the licking he
gave me at Hoylake. some three years ago.
and was bit fortunate in finding him
somewhat off his game In the afternoon
Mr.. Hutchinson was hardly at his best.
having played nineteen-hole match
against Mr.. Maxwell the previous round.
In the final against Mr.. Blackwell, l felt
sure of winning after the first few holes
had been played.
''Thc result was somewhat of a surprise
to the Englishmen. especially to those who
had seen me playing a short time prevf-
ously in Scotland. Then. too. their estimate
of my game was largely Influenced by the
matches 1 had played when 1 was last
over-a trip taken entirely for my health.
There Is no doubt they play better golf
on the other side than we do. and they
have at least twenty or thirty scratch
players to our one. Apart from having
played the game longer. their courses.
while of no greater length than ours, are
narrower and more replete with hazards.
Next year the meeting Is at Prestwick,
the best of the five championship courses.
1 consider. At present I have no intention
of going across. much as 1 should like to.
YES / brought the cup with me- 1t will
remain in the custody of the Garden City
Golf Club until next year"
"How about the open?' "Well, I took
part, as you know, but didn't do well.
somehow couldn't manage to get myself
worked up to take any interest in my do
ings. Sheriock's II, the first day. and
ov.H nv.ol 90
In the final round were simply magnificent
"a good deal of my success 10 due to the
encouragement and moral support of the
Yankee gallery headed by Simeon Ford"