New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-30
Francis Ouin1et Leads American Amateur Golfers
Through Great Victory in the Open Championship
Brookline Youngster Displaces
TraverS Among Nations Sixteen
Best Players of Year.
NEW JERSEY MAN RUNNER-UP
Evans, Wood, Anderson and
Travis Placed Next in Order in
Appraisal of Leaders.


In attempting to size up the nation
sixteen best amateur golfers for the year
1919. the student Of form is confronted with
an unusual situation. Never before since
the game secured foothold in America
has the gentleman division held both the
amateur and open titles. and to make
matters more complex different players
hold these championships.
For two years Jerome d Travers. OF
Upper Montclair, has been the undisputed
leader. and although at Garden City last
September he did all that was required
OF him. not only retaining possession or
his amateur crown. but defeating Francis
Ouimet during the course of the tourna-
ment, his feat was in a measure over
shadowed a fortnight later. when Ouimet
astounded the golf world by winning the
national open title at Brookline.
In Great Britain the winning Of the
open championship has always been
looked upon as the crowning perform
ance, but until this year less importance
has been attached TO the United States
Golf Association open, a state of affairs
due doubtless to the fact that II was a
foregone conclusion that one of the resi-
dent professionals would win. The pros"
here have never been taken as seriously
as their brothers on the other side.
Long before the clans gathered at
Brookline, however. II was easy to see
that this years open was regarded in a
different light from previous affairs of
l.. e
as Vardon, Ray, Teller and Reid was in
itself enough TO make the tournament Of
worldwide Importance. even without the
addition Of the country's leading anna
tours. including Travers and Ouimet 1t
may be. therefore, readily understood
why the eyes of the world, so TO speak.
were focused on BrOokline when play
began there the middle Of September.
Under such circumstances the winning
of the open championship was of vast i'm
port. no matter from what angle 1t might
be viewed. Even so, one may be par
doned for venturing the observation that
it was not altogether the actual winning
of the title at Brookline,. as the way il
was won. In other words, had Ouimet
just kept going along steadily from the
start and beaten Vardon and Ray
stroke or two in the championship proper,
consisting of seventy-two holes, il is
likely that not nearly so much importance
would be attached to the feat
Many would have FASTENED to pro-
nounce il a fuke and after the first flush
of excitement had worn Off their thoughts
would have flown back to the amateur
meeting al Garden City. What took ones
breath away was the sensational finish
of Ouimet in the last eight holes OF the
championship. and his uncanny steadi-
ness in the memorable play-off against
Nardon and Ray.
Unless there are good and sufficient rea-
sons for deviating from custom the ANA
teur champion should head the list. The
championship tournament is TO ascertain
the nations best golfer and while II
doesn't always follow that the winner OF
the amateur meeting is the best player.
ne was at least the best in that particular
tournament, which is regarded as the
most important of the season. There
fore, if Ouimet is TO be placed above
Travers in this years ranking 1t is done
so with the conviction that the open at
Brookline was more important than the
amateur.
While Ouimet is, therefore, placed No. !,
there still remains a doubt as 10 his right
TO be at the top. PROFESSIONALLY he is
a steadier medal player than Travers,
but the latter possesses the ideal match
play temperament 1t also goes against
the grain TO place a man No. l who In
other years had not been given place
among the first sixteen. In seasons past
Ouimet has played we'll though his game
always lacked that aggressiveness and
determination which marked most Of his
appearances this year
Besides hts never-to-be -forgotten play
in the open, Ouimet qualified IN the
amateur championship at Garden City
but lost to Travers in the second round
In the Massachusetts amateur champion
ship. at Wollaston, ne qualified in second
placed and bowled over G.. +. Willett
3. S. Evans, ]. G. Anderson and F. II.
Hoyt on his way 10 the final In the
Lesley Cup matches Ouimet and Hoyt
lost to Travers and Gilman p. Tiffany
I'M the foursomes with New York, but
in the individual tilt Ouimet defeated
Travers the contest being carried to
the twentieth green.
The less said about that match the
better, though, Of course, the winner
was not 10 blame for the gallery's ac-
tions. The next day Oumet and w. G.
Chick won their match in the foursomes
against Howard w. Perrin and Il. $.
Worthington, the Pennsylvania pair, but
that same afternoon Worthington de-
feated the open champion in the singles.
Beginning with that contest, Ouimet
showed that he was only human after
all The title holder. with S. X. Sterne
for q partner was defeated In the four
somes Of the Massachusetts-C Connecticut
match at Oakley. but in the singles
Ouimet proved too much for b. p. Mer-
Timan Ouimet and II. H. Wilder lost
in the foursomes against Rhode Island,
and again Ouimet was beaten in the
singles by r. :. Hovey.
Passing TO Travers, who is placed sec
end on the list. one is quickly impressed
by the unquestiOned evidence OF nerve
that has carried the Upper Montclair
golfer successfully through 50 many
hard fought matches. Reginning with
his winning of the metropolitan cham
pionship at Fox Hills in the spring
Jerry" always had to contend with
unruly clubs. In other words. he
managed to win without being anywhere
near the top Of his game. Generally