New-York tribune., 1908-08-10
SEEK OPEN GOLF TITLE
LOOK TOWARD MYOPIA.
Professionals Making Ready for
Decision of Open Cham pionship.


With the national open championship tourna-
rnent only two weeks off, golfers are beginning 10
turn their attention toward this annual fixture
The championship In question will be held for the
fourth time the famous links of the Myop1a
Hunt Club at Hamilton Mass. on August u and
%, and an idea of the Importance Of the affair
may be appreciated from the fact that golfers
will travel thousands of miles Tor the sole pur-
pose Of taking part
AS all close followers of the sport are aware,
this tournament each year resolves itself into
struggle between the leading professionals AS
its name implies II is open championship,
amateurs being as welcome as the pros. ana
while q number of the former class invariably
compete the pace always proves trifie too fast
An expert who is certain to carry gallery
from the moment he drives OF until he runs down
his last put at the end Of the seventy-two holes
is Will Anderson. the high salaried professional
at the Onwentsia Club. Lake Forest, Ill No other
exponent of the game in this country has accom-
pIished much Anderson. for 1t only requires
cursory glance at the records to reveal the fact
that he has the national open title no less
than four times.
By means the least interesting part of this is
Anderson's double win at Myopia. Because has
brought home the money in two of the three cham
pionships decided there makes 1t apparent to all
that the course difficult 1t is has terrors for
this redoubtabe player.
Several years ago Anderson astonished the golf
world by winning the Western open championship
at Cleveland with 72-hole of 299. Up
that time total under 800 a long course was
unheard OF, but it has been accomplished since
then a number of occasions. Twice since that
memorable tournament at Cleveland has Anderson
gained the Western title, the last time being few
weeks ago at ST. Louis, when he once again
turned total of 2S9
There certain to be several others almost
equal favorites with the Onwentsia entrant Promi-
nent among these is Alec Smith, Of the Nassau
Country Club, who the title In 1906 with the
lowest total yet recorded in national open cham
pionship in this country. Smith did not defend
his title Philadelphia year ago. being abroad
at the time in quest of international fame For
the last two seasons he has probably won more
open tournaments than any professional in this
country. He is his game at present, and no
would be surprised to Alec show the way
to the Myopia field.
Willie Smith, brother of Alec, is also preparing
for the championship. Not long since Will re-
ceived leave of absence from his club at Mexico
City and he is putting in his time now by play
ing exhibition matches with his brother WIN
Smith has the most dashing and pleasing style
to be found IN the professional ranks. He drives
an extremely long ball, and, like the other men,
Der of the Smith family is a deadly putter. He
won the national title at Baltimore back in 1899.
and he finished second to his brother at On
wentsia In 1906.
George Low, of Baltusrol, is another favorite,
especially IN this vicinity When the last Metro
oolitan Golf Association championship tournament
was run off two years ago at Hollywood he led
the field and incidentally showed the way to Alec
Smith both getting inside the 800 mark. Low
is one of the closest students of the game to be
found anywhere in the professional class and when
his short game is working smoothly he is hard to
beat.
Alec Ross of Brae Burn the present national
open champion is less Of uncertain
quantity. but when his game he can go fast
enough for the best OF them. He appeared in one
daIr ayaf
Club a year ago and won the championship by the
steadest kind of golf
After that Ross did not add any to his reputation
until the recent Massachusetts open championship
at Brookline, when he successfully defended his
title with total better than 800 Provided he can
show anything like this form at Myopia, Ross is
again bound to prove factor. He has an easy,
don't-care sort of swing that gives one the i'm
preston he is not trying.
A METROPOLITAN entrant who will be watched with
interest is Herbert Strong. of Apawamis. The lat
ter's game has been improving since he came TO
this country a few years ago, but thus far he has
been unable to get the front 1t has been said
that his physique is against him. his weight being
only about 120 pounds.
On the contrary. Strong declares this Is no
handicap and to back up this claim points to the
records which generally show him going better
In the last round than in the first He is also a
remarkably long driver-another argument against
the theory that person must be built on big
lines to get distance. Only short time ago Strong
reduced the record OF the Rye course to 10.
Jack Hobens the Englewood pro is likely
candidate for the title. He has been IN the money
on several occasions and last year Philadelphia
he looked like champion until the last round. He
hits a long ball and is generally deadly the
green In the championship last summer he per-
formed the unusual feat of making hole In L
Stewart Gardner. the Exnoor has the rep
utation of being the talest professional in this
country. He plays a steady. careful game. but
somehow or other generally runs into bad
round Just enough TO keep him from winning.
Western pro worth watching is Fred Nc
Ieod who was an amateur when he this
country about five years ago. He has already
won the Western title and in the recent Western
Golf Association tournament finished only stroke
worse than Anderson.
The far driving Gil Nichols of Woodland. has
been knocking the door for several years. In
the Philadelphia tournament he finished second
only TO Ross, and little later at Van Cortlandt
Then there is Alec Campbell. of Brookline. pres
ent champion the Eastern Professional Golfers
Association The ripper has all the shots in his
bag and when things going right he takes a
'lot of beating" With a little luck Campbell
might have gained the title year
Every one will be interested in the showing of
David Brown the veteran who won the open cham
pionship of Scotland than twenty years ago.
Latterly Brown has been living in the vicinity OF