New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-27
ALEC SMITH Wins TITLE
M'DERMOTT ACLOSE SECOND
Champion Plays Brilliant Golf IN
Overcoming His Plucky
Opponent.

champion made good when Alec cralrn
won the metropolitan title for the second
year in succession over the links OF the
Deal Golf and Country Club yesterday The
WykagyI professional returned total OF
301 for the seventy-two holes. which proved
just two strokes too good for J. J. Nc
Dermott the plucky Merchantvil1e home
bred
This makes the second time this season
that Smith has maintained the pre-er1i-
hence Of tie Scotch professionals against
the determined attack Of the doughty irish
American chap, for in the national open
at Philadelphia last June Smith beat Nc
Dermott only after tie. An incident which
happened at the close Of the day served 70
illustrate forcibIy what manner of man
this latest goIfing sensation is AS Nc
Derrnott walked off the home green he was
informed that Smith had won by two shots.
whereupon the lads pugnacious chin pro-
truded a little further as he replied, III
get him yet
Before the tournament started McDer-
mott declared MS Willingness 10 wager that
he would land first. second or third money
If the youngster fanCies himself even 70
the point OF conceit, the self-esteem is
clearly justified, for this country has never
before produced his equal.
y remarkable judge of distance. McDer-
mott makes his shots with a confidence
seldom seen either here or abroad In
fact his game fails TO reveal a weak spot,
unless occasional failure to hole short puts
be regarded as such.
On the other hand, Smith was There"
once more; played sound golf from start 20
finish and deserved all the credit he re-
ceived. II made his third metropolitan
triumph Considering the length and diff
fcult nature OF the course, Smiths total
Of 301 Will 90 on record as one Of his most
brilliant achievements.
Most Of the other favOrites finished IN
the money the order of the first eight being
as follows: Alec Smith, $3.50 and gold
medal: ]. J. McDermott, 500; H II. Bar
ker. So; Gilbert Nichols. $50; Isaac
Macsie. $40: Fred Mcleod and James
Thomson. S25 each. and George Sargent, SO
When play began on the second half OF
the competition in the morning Barker en-
joyed a three-stroIle lead over his closest
rivals with score of $50. Smith, 8IcDer-
mott, Sargent and Macbie all being bracl-
eted at 153. Barker then proceeded 10
throw away his advantage by taking an so
for his third round whereas Smith and
With only eighteen holes left TO play, IT
was apparent 10 all that. barring accidents.
the struggle for the title rested between
Smith and McDermott whose totals for
ffty-four holes We're 226 and 22S respec-
lively. Barker was then third with 2So.
while Gil Nichols and Thomson each had
233. a stroke better than Nackie.
There was marked similarity in the
games Of the two leaders in the afternoon
McDermOtt rarely made a mistake with
either wood or iron, but the fairies were
not with him on the greens. Time and again
after fine approach the Philadelphia
champion failed to bring off the put Sew
eral of these that refused TO go down aver
aged in length from four TO twelve feet
His only poor holes We're the fourth and
ninth, where ragged putting resulted in 6s-
After taking 40 10 go out, McDermott start
ed the homeward journey auspiciousIy by
getting down his best put Of the round, a
twelve-footer, for a 5.
At the eleventh he Tipped the cup for l.
The boy also had his nerve with him ar the
difficult twelfth hole where he took a
chance for the green on his second. The
ball carried the ditch and a resulted
Another short put that failed 10 sink pre-
vented McDermott from getting at the
mari pit. and the same happened at the
fourteenth. when his five-foot put for I
went into the hole and out again.
McDermott played faultlessIy from there
home, finishing with SIS at the seventeenth
and home holes
Smith got his % in the afternoon mainly
through steady play. although the national
champion also had occasional lapses in put
ting These were at the fourth and ninth
holes. Even so, he went out in 50 When
Smith did fall short or over approach
green ne generally managed TO chip the
next close enough TO the pin to get down
the put
Matters looked bad for him at the eIev-1
enth where, after pulling his drive to the
rough. Alec got trapped on the approach
He got out well with the niblick. however
so that the mistake cost him only a shot
a being recorded From there on Smith
was as steady as a rock. finishing I'm par
figures His card for the day was.