Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-17
By Chick Evans.

THICAGO, July 16.-The British
open championship is OF the
greatest interest to every golf
er. because it really represents the
championship of the world. for I'M
doUbtedly the British professional at
tae present moment plays the best
golf known. This year the British
open Nae played III juno at Hoylake,
near Liverpool, and, for the fifth
time. was won by j. H. Taylor, the
master OF the mashie His other sue
cesses were in 1894, 1895, 1900 and
1909
McDernott. the American open
champion. ranked fifth and was in the
IaoaCy-a notable achievement, when
ore considers the character of the
fed. In his first trip abroad last year
McDermott had a run of bad luck and
failed TO qualify.
Winner Gets so Pounds.
The winner of the British open re-
ceives a prize OF so pounds. That is
not very large sum OF money, but
the champion is in great demand for
exhibition matches everywhere and
these are very lucrative. In Great
Britain the professional golfer of the
best skill is always playing in money
matches.
The British open championship is a
medal play competition of y holes.
The entry list is very large and a
qualifying proper begins. The year
l played in it-1911-the management
tried to run the event off in three sec
tons. in three days. but one section
struck charming weather and the
other played through a binding rain,
so that plan was abandoned.
The British event of this year was
the most cosmopolitan ever played,
the American, French, Indian. Aus
tralian and German open champions
all competing In addition to Cham
pion McDermott, America sent an
excellent group of players and they
all made a good showing. United
States and France are both improv
ing wonderfully and the formers
championship time is rapidly ap-
preaching, although the British pro-
fessionals made the better showing
this year. Foreign competitors play
under many disadvantages in these
events. The change of food and eli
mate. delightful as these are in Eng
land are bound to affect ones golf
unfavorably. l believe the time is
coming, however when the worlds
open Championship will be played each
year in a different country, for golf Is
undoubtedly a world game and the
courses outside of Great Britain are
yearly approaching more closely to
the championship standard.
British Courses Are Best
At present the British courses are
the best tests of golf in the world
There is a circuit of British cham
pionship courses played in a certain
order and every one is a seaside
course. The championship links are
St AndreG's, Prestwick and Muirfield
in Scotland and Sandwich, Holyake
and Westward Ho. in England. At
present we can hardly hope to equal
these courses, but a few more years
will make a vast difference, for good
foundations have been laid in Amer
lea and France for fine courses.
In 1900 j, II. Taylor and Harry Var
don came to this country and PLAYED
exhibition matches everywhere. They
also competed in our open champion
ship at Wheaton and they finished
one two. with Vardon first At that
time they rather easily outclassed
every golfer In America. This fall
Ray, Vardon and some other British
and French professionals are coming
over TO play exhibition matches and
to compete in our open at Brookline.
just outside Boston. How they fare
Will be a matter of great interest 10
the whole golfing public. I predict
good many surprises. for Americans
have made unbelievable progress in
the last ten years
These international contests are not
only very interesting TO sportsmen,
but they greatly improve the playing