New-York tribune., 1911-09-17
Defeats Fred HerreShOff in a
Stirring EXtra-HoIe
Struggle.
BIT OF LUCK FOR BRiT0N
Goddess Smiles on Last Green,
After His Younger Rival Had
Overcome a Lead of
Six Up.


the Apawamis links yesterday, but only
after a sensational struggle that will linger
IA his memory until his dying day. He de-
tssted Frederick Herreshoff, of this city,
by the narrow margin of l up in an ex-
ira hole match that carried them to the
thirty seventh green. AS result. the
American title and the Havemeyer cup
viii travel across the sea for the first time
la tho history Of the sport.
While Hilton played the steadier golf and
vel deserved the high honor it is a fact
that q lucky shot played a prominent part
IN determining the championship. The men
had fought out one of the greatest golf
ing battles ever seen in this country. At
one point close to four thousand onlook-
,-s who spread out like a mantle over the
course, were on the point of turning away
disappointed, but HeTeshoff galvanized
them into enthusiastic supporters by
working up from 6 down and 13 TO go to
even terms with the British champion on
the thirty-fourth green. 1t was a brilliant
uphill struggle and the crowd was not pre-
pared for the nerve-racking ending. The
thi-ty-fifth and thrty-sixth holes were
halved. almost everybody holding his
breath at every shot. and then came the
extra hole.
Herreshoff drove a long ball down the
course as straight as the crow flies and
several yards in advance Of Hilton's ef-
fort, Playing the odd the Briton sliced
his iigger shot badly 10 the right, the ball
hitting a boulder, but glancing to the
green. The crowd gasped. for if the ball
had carromed the other way II probably
would have brought up 10 a hopeless lie
among the rocks
What effect this had on the nerves Of
Herreshoff is hard to say. but the West
brook golfer topped his second. the ball
falling some seventy yards short Of the
green. Now playing the odd. Herreshoff
made good try to lay his ball close to the
hag, but he overran by some eighteen feet.
while Hilton laid his approach shot dead to
the hole. It was then do or die for HERES
hoff. There was a treacherous roll TO
the green. and he failed to give the stroke
quite enough force, the ball stopping two
feet shy. Hilton then holed out the put.
which made him the champion Of two con-
tinents.
The crowd applsuded vigorously even
though disappointed. following which, Silas
j. Strawn. president of the United States
Golf Association, called the players to-
gether and presented the medals. He pre-
ceded this with few remarks in which
ne referred TO Hilton as unquestionably
the greatest amateur golfer living. calling
attention to the fact that he was the pres
ent amateur champion Of Great Britain
that he had won the championship on two
previous occasions and the open title twice
When Dlr. StraTn presented the medal tC
the Briton the crowd gave him great re-
ception. ending up by calling for speech
Hilton said:
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you sin
eerely for the cordial way in which yot
have treated me, and must say that was
lucky at the last hole. 1 can also testify
that your golfers are not lacking in heart
would also like to correct a statement
that has appeared in some OF the papers tc
the effect that came to this country tC
win the championship. / did not. l cam'
over to play in it."
Strawn then presented Herreshof will
TIE silver medal as a runner-up. Incl
6entally, the associations president palc
Herreshoff a high tribute, declaring that II
putting up the fight he did against mas
Ter like Hilton he had done more than any
other American golfer. After gfvinf
"chick" Evans and c. w. Inslee, the othel
semi-fnalists, their medals the creates
tournament in the history Of American
folf became a matter Of history.
Although the morning broke wet and
srear. IL did not deter the enthusiasts, wht
arrived at the links in steady stream
Probably a sight that has never been ou'
lrhcated on a golf course in this countrS
presented itself when the players started or
their afternoon round. At that time thf
general estimate Of the number OF per
sons present was about four thousand. and
itl;e way they hustled in an endeaVor tc
gain points OF vantage was amusing TO see
Fully half Of the gallery anticipated the
Ldntestants by proceeding TO the vicinity
| Iof the first green, which they literally sur
Founded. Consequently. when the players
approached they had to make their shots
Iato the opening of human U-like forma
| Iuon
In an all-day match that requires al
.xtra hole to decide, practically as muci
ieredit belongs 10 the loser as to the winner
While Hilton may have played The mor'
consistent golf throughout the week, III
| IA not show any greater skill than Herres
lhoH Yesterday. In fact, the Westbrooi
solfers work for fourteen consecutive holes
On the homeward journey In the after
noon. wherein he had an average OF ~
Ifsirly took the crowd by storm, and as M
began TO pick up hole after hole the on
boxers with difficulty restrained their en-
thusiasm.
/ All golfers have nerves; some, OF course
more than others. An old follower OF the
game who has seen Hilton play IN champion
Iships abroad. declared that II person once
vent after Hilton good and hard he would
| Crack" IT did seem that way when
Herreshoff, beginning with the sixth hole
m the afternoon, won six out OF twelve
During that period. however, IT must be
rsmemhered that Herreshoff was one bet
ter than As. Furthermore, the weather had
turned oppresively warm. so that Hilton
playing in a coat, wellnigh wiited. But
/ with his back 10 the wall he displayed
rare courage by the way he haived the
Iiklrty-ffth and thirty-sixth holes. The
better man may have won, but certainly
he was lucky
l The question on every ones lips when
play began in the morning was whether OF
not Herreshoff would be In one OF his
happy scoring veins. Hilton was sure tc
Ibe they argued, for he had been hoverins
around the 7b mark all week. ana unoei
donations at times far from favorable
tHerreshofg played great golf when he eiiml'
- tra.t.k.. m TbursHav and "ChiCk