Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-25
GOLF
SUPREMACY IS
THING Of PAST
By Chick Evans.
MIRACLE has happened and an

- amateur IS now the open
champion OF these United
states and a portion of the British
Isles. 1t is a proud moment for
American amateurs, and thought Of
it thrills every golfer in the country.
Ever since my first acquaintance with
golf I have thought that II sometime
7 might win the national open cham
pionship. my cup Of happiness would
be full, for I hold that our open ranks
ahead of the British Amateur and
next to the British open.
II is difficult to adequately speak Of
the wonderful golfing feat Of the Bos-
ton lad. When Francis Ouimet went
out to play the other Inornlng he was
naturally not expected to win against
those seasoned veterans. J myself
thought he would have hardly a
chance against them, but the uneX-
pected happened and the result is
an amateur open champion. The fact
that the bearer of the new title. the
hest amateur and professional golfer
in the country, is a fine, modest young
fellow, also means much to the game
British Supremacy Passing.
It Is a great victory. We are in
keen competition with the British and
II would have given great pleasure
10 these Ave professionals to carry
back the title and the championship
cup. The day of British supremacy
in golf is passing. Not only have we
a country full Of fine professionals,
but we have also one amateur who
can hold his own with Britain's best.
To have achieved the highest honor
in the United States on the links OF
his lifelong playground must have
thrilled Ouimet through and through.
II is true that his thorough knowledge
of the course gave him a big adj
vantage, but only sterling skill could
account for the hne scores from day
TO day, The very name Ouimet seems
difficult to pronounce or to write but
fl has been In the limelight the whole
week and cast in shadow the names
of Vardon and Ray.
Is there not something peculiar
about golf when we see an amateur,
who has never been able to win the
national amateur semi-hnalist bronze
medal land that TO my way OF think
ing is the easiest thing in the world
10 win), tauntily gather in the open
championship competed for by the
greatest players in this country and
Britain Golf Is indeed a queer game.
You can never be certain about 1t
and you are always off" when you
think you are "on," and vice versa.
Vardon Loses Fighting Spirit.
Ouimet's game in the play-off tells
me that he felt the following thou
sands with him and was spurred on
TO a splendid round. VardOn's finish
seemed to show that he quit lighting
he dropped three shots on the last
three holes. Ray played the last nine
poorly for the first time and 1t hap
pered to be a very inoppOrtune time.
The national open championship OF
1918 will certainly go down IN history
~ an exceptional event II was un-
usual in so many ways The date
was postponed from June to Septem-
her on account Of the visit Of Ray
and Vardon. Then, too, this Is the
first year that there has been quail
fyinR round and 1t was necessary be-
cause of the heavy entry list. ! DO
not think that any previous event
has ever been 50 written up and
now that 1t is over about all that is
left of It Is the little word Ouimet.
II is all over nOW-iust memories
Of remarkable shots and SUGGESTIONS
Of shots. and the wondering IL to how
an amateur could do 1t. We can
remember with sympathy then tho
other players who played well with
the exception OF a bad hole or two
that put success out of their reach.
Nowhere is Dame Fortune so tickle
or so evident as on the links-the
trimmed hole, the missed short put,
the chance kick in or out OF trouble,
are all there to show how narrow is
the line that separates success and
failure, and when the going is close.
anv freakish wind may blow us on
one side or the other.