New-York tribune., 1907-08-02
A GOLFING SURPRISE.
LEADS FIELD.
Nichols Makes Ne1oRecOrd for Van
COrtIandt Park Links.

George Sparkling, unknown to fame in the golfng
world led the field in the first days play OF the
seventy-two-hole medal play professional tourna-
lnent on the public links at Van Cortandt Park
yesterday Sparkling, who represented the HawOrth
Country Club. returned Of 40 Alec Smith,
OF Nassau, former open champion, and Charles
Ihoms. Of LenOx, came next. with 142 each.
To Gilbert Nichols the Woodlands pro" who
finished second to Alec Ross in the recent national
and Massachusetts open championships. goes the
distinction OF breaking the 1Durse record, and
Nichols made a SO in the afternoon. and. follow
ing his morning effort Of IS. gave him total fO-
the day Of IA. This was the same score credited
to George Low, of BatusroI. the Metropolitan Golf
Association title holder. Ross needed 153
Several American homebreds did Greditably Mar
tin OLOughin, OF Plainfield. leading with 145.
Closely following OLoughlin came George Bouse.
OF the Marine and Field Club, with 145. while NJ.
j. Brady a Boston lad, returned 1i7. So far
Ross was concerned. 1t may be said that the cham
pion not only in hard luck, but also failed to
play with anything like his usual accuracy. He
good -natlIredly remarked that he guessed the
course was too short for his game.
In making his exceptional double round in 40
Sparling admitted that he played better than ever
before. He expected TO do about IS. but
planned his low score with the remark that he
had good luck on the green's Time and again he
hoed long puts, and in the afternoon IL looked as
though he going to get & SIS. He did, however,
miss a short put on the seventeenth green. while
a sliced cIeek shot going to the home hole cost
him another stroke
Sparkling born in Ireland and came to this
country when a boy of thirteen. He began
club maker in this city and learned the game here.
His card remarkably consistent one, follows:
Gpt IN ....-...-....-. ...-..-. = "a "a
IN Ro :.::::::.:5 ::::::.::: 3 Ssa-7o-14o 80
prize Of $25 offered for the player who
should succeed in breaking the record. Nichols
has good claim this, unless should
beat his 50 to-day. In making this remarkable
score Nichols. as may be imagined. took advan-
tage OF every opportunity, although he did miss
chances on the last two greens. The put he missed
on the seventeenth green was not moro than two
feet His long game without flaw His drtv
ing has become straighter since he shortened his
swing His record card ran as follows:
Out .-..---...--.-......s I 80
Smith had a chance TO equal the So in the after
noon, but took three puts both Of the last two
greens. which have proved ''hoOdoo'' for SO
many. Smith is brim fun of confidence, and. while
he does not say much 1t is easy to that he
expects TO repeat his victory OF a year ago. Hun
dreds OF his followers share his confidence, shown
by the fact that many wagers have been placed
him at money to beat the field
Old Davy Brown. OF Boston, who the night be-
fore at the nineteenth hole talking brave
ly OF making rounds In g. finished far down the
list with total OF 155. But the who was open
champion Of Great Britain twenty-one years ago
seemed nothing daunted. and declared he would
have at the record to-day.
The tie for first place IN the four-ball match
Wednesday played OFF yesterday afternoon.
Gilman 2. Tiffany the Hudson River Golf Asso-
citation champion and Bob PEBBLES. OF Fair
vew with card OF H7-3-1H Tiffany made
a 73. and the FaIrview professional II. Their op
pOnents. d. c. Woodwork. OF New York. and
George Pearson. OF YOuntakah. returned 1911
90 The scores IN yesterdays competition were as
follows;