New-York tribune., 1908-08-28
WILLIE SMITH IN LEAD
GOOD START FOR TITLE.
". j. Travis Best of amateurs m
Open Tourney on Myopa Links.
tBy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

IBy Telegraph TO The Tribune.
Hamilton Mass Aug 27-Willie Smith, the pro
fessional golfer who travelled all the way i,oi.,
Mexico City in quest of championship hohoiS' h
the satisfaction of leading the field the hrst man
national open tournament on the Inks OF 'hs
Myopia Hunt Club today. His ROUNDS were I. anu
81 for total of 159 three strokes better thah ,Se
of his nearest competitor, Jack Jones, OF the hoe
club.
Alec Smith of Nassau. is third. with 1853, wn'ie
Fred Mcleod the Midlothian entrant. is resting
in fourth place with 164 The remainder OF the neo
of eighty odd players trailed along six OF theil
better than 40, twenty-five others under loo anu
thirteen with 1872 better This last hgure
is the limit at when the players quahhed ior
further effort tomorrow.
OF the fortyesht golfers who will continue iof
the final thirty-six holes four are amateurs-"alter
J. Travis. Garden City; hugo r. Johnstone. Myopia;
John G.. Anderson, Woodland. and John B. Hylan
Vesper. Six other amateurs started but failed 10
qualify for the second days test. Thirty profess
sonals were also dropped out of the running
Weather conditions initiated against low scoring
A nOrtheaster whistled the hills, playing
havoc with the high tee shots and incidentally
affording the unfortunates excellent excuse for
failure to up to expectations. Since the Scots
last visited here. in 1905 many new traps have
made their appearance adding not little TO the
difficulties of already trying course.
The MyOpia club Is also able TO boast OF some
of the best types of unduiating putting greens,
particularly the ninth and tenth. Less heard
to-day concerning the extreme keenness of the
greens, thanks TO the recent rains which left them
a trife slower than usual. The putting surfaces
true. however; consequently it is players
fault II he misses the Hard luck
stories not wanting. many of the players los
ing balls driving out of bounds
In the starting incIosure Daniel Chauncey.
of New York president of the United States Golf
Association W. FelIowes Morgan. of Baltusrol. the
secretary. and Herbert Jaques. the home club.
1t had originally been planned to begin proceed
ings at 9 o'clock. but this would have made II
difficult for the late finish before dark. the
committee wisely advanced the starting time to
$40. The field was sent away in pairs at fve-min-
intervals
Nearly all the experts got the first hole in 4.
their drives going a couple of hundred yards up
a richly turfed incline After that IT was only
a wrist mashie to the green. Willie Slime. of
his put for a 8.
VIII Smith played most brilliantly when the
conditions their worst for scoring He
made the first six holes in % with a In the 40
yard fifth He had at the seventh. but made
up for this by getting past the eighth green
matter of tS5 yards. with drive and a brassie
The approach put trimmed the cup for 3. and
he got his without effort what is generally
regarded the difficult hole on the course
To the short ninth hole Smiths mashie shot
left him an s-root put. which he negotiated for a
,. so that the outward journey completed in
brilliant 3s. Coming home the Mexico entrant
had 6's at the fifteenth and seventeenth holes the
former being $40 yards. the longest the course
His morning card read follows:
91t On .,...,.. ..,..,,.,.t. : : : : 2-,,ss
In the afternoon Smith played less brilliantly
although the wind lessened considerably He
dropped four strokes al the eighth and ninth
holes where he did well earlier in the day
Although Smith has only been away from the
burning sands Of Mexico for the last few weeks
he readily adapted himself the changed con-
ditions- For that matter. he never saw Mexico
until four ago, Prior that he was con-
nected with clubs in this vicinity and the West
He the national open title at Baltimore in
1899. Smith is a native of Carnoustie Scotland
Although well up with a total Of 1856 Jack Hutch
inson. o. ST. Andrews expected to do better
probably because Of his brilliant 76 in practice
earlier in the week Another 10 return a 16S was
Gil Nichols the Tedesco pro. who finished second
in the open at Philadelphia year ago Alec Ross
Brae Burn. the national and Massachusetts
title holder made poor showing for champion
his total reading Ia VIII Anderson OF Onwentsia
the four times winner, likewise a disappolnt-
ment. with III.
The best showing by a home bred pro was the
i67 returned by Tom MaCNamara, OF WoIlaston
Richard Kimball, who left the amateur ranks only
a year ago. had 40. Isaac Mackie of Fox Hills
proved disappointment with 1872.
While Travis had the distinction of showing the
way The amateurs the Garden City veteran prac-
tically killed his chances OF pushing the leaders
by requiring an even aD for the morning round
took 81 in the morning. and showed prom
inently. Better work by the leaders is predicted
for tomorrow.
The scores were: