Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-09
TRAVIS. OFF GAME.
Makes SO in England's Open Cham
pionship by Poor Putting.

Play began yesterday morning at Sand
witch. England. in the forty-fourth annual
competition for the open golf championship
of Great Britain.
OF IA entrants only one scratched A
strong northeasterly wind made golf ex-
tremely difficult. and under the circum-
stances the scoring throughout the day was
good.
The competition consists of four rounds
the first of which was decided yesterday,
and when all the cards were in 1t was seen
that Robert Thompson, North Berwick
professional now engaged at Romford was
ahead of all the field. with a score of 75.
John Graham, jr., of Hoylake, an anna
teur. and Harry Vardon fled for second
place, with 16.
James Braid. J. H. Taylor and tom"
Vardon came next, with n apiece. and
much lower down the list came Waiter J.
Travis. with SO.
Mr.. Travis card caused keen disappoint-
ment although his play during the last few
days had showed he was somewhat off his
game.
Professionals who appeared at Sandwich
at the beginning of the week and had not
seen Mr.. Travis playing, except in practice
games. rather poohpoohed the possibility
of the American repeating the exploit of
John Ball. jr., and III. H. Hilton in captur-
ing the open honor as well the amateur
championship.
three 5's but he got a brilliant at the
fourth hole, where he made a tremendous
drive, and after good pitch ran down a
five-yard put. He was bunkered from his
pitch at the seventh. resulting, and.
despite a at the eighth, where he hoIed a
four-yard put, he took 30 to go out.
Coming in he missed a yard put at the
tenth, and took 6. He took an ordinary
putter instead of his patent aluminium club
for a half-yard put at the sixteenth. and
failed to hole it. resulted, and. al
though finishing with two perfect As, he
took SO for the round. He was driving fur
Their than in the amateur championship
but was distinctly Off his putting, owing to
the extreme keenness of the greens, some
of which were almost as slippery as ice.
The card follows:
G fn. :.:::::::::: 9 "a
For purposes of comparison here Is
Thompsons score:
H in....::.::...... "A s-n-75
Thompson was lucky in the fact that he
of the gale. which increased as the day ad-
vanced. He had an encouraging start for
he jumped the bunker at the first hole. and
a lucky finish, his ball jumping the hazard
at the home hole and enabling him to go
down in three.
John Graham, jr., the Hoylake amateur.
played almost perfect golf for his rs. A
fact which shows the strength Of the wind
is that on the second green Mr.. Graham hit
the hole and went nearly a foot beyond,
but the wind blew his ball back into the
hole.
Harry Vardon. the present holder of the
open championship. started well by run
ming down a twenty-yard put for three at
the first hole. Considering that he had
several slight misfortunes, his total of 70
was remarkable.
The feature of James Braid's round of II
was his three at the fourteenth hole of
about $50 yards. He made tremendous
drive took spoon forehis second shot, lay
ing the ball four yards from the pin and in
another stroke holed out
The only American besides Travis who
entered for the open championship was E.
M. Byres, who took 81.
OF the 143 payers who competed ninety
five returned cards Of 90 or better.