The Sentinel=record., 1914-02-06
BLAGDEN WINS THE
 FITCH TOURNAMENT
BRILLIANT NEW YORK GOLFER BEATS A. c. JOHNSON IN THE
 FINALS YESTERDAY.
By H. w. FLANAGAN, (Press Representative of the Airing ton and Eastman Hotels

ton and Eastman Hotels
 No amateur has ever played better golf on the Hot Springs Golf and Country Club links than was offered by Phillip Blagden of New York city, a member of the Stockbridge, Mass, Country Club, yesterday after noon. Blagden was paired with A. C. Johnson, a member of the Mini kahda club of Minneapolis, Minn., in the final round in the Fitch tourna- ment Johnson, by virtue of his triumph in last weeks mid-winter tournament and his splendid victory over "Jack" Villas, the Chicago ayia- tor, in the semi-hnal round in the Fitch tournament was generally fav- ored to dispose of Blagden.
 Though the day was dark and dreary and the course naturally none too dry nor fast, Blagden put up a fessional would have had a hard time exceHing. The two cracks traversed the Derby route of 36 holes. In the morning the honors were with John it appeared as almost 0 cerainty that he would completely annhiliate Blag- den.
 Johnson won the first five holes. Still, Blagden never quit. Far be it from such. Like all high class golf CTS he did his best playing when un- der fire. Blagden began making up the lost ground and at the conclusion of the first IS holes was only 1 down.
 After noon Blagden prayed good article of golf. All of his drives were true and straight and carried around 200 yards. His approaching was lit tie short of marvellous and his putting phenomenal. Hole after hole he plac- ed to his credit and it would have taken Professional Hoare himself to have won more than an occasional hole from the Eastern player.
 Johnson also drove brilliantly and his approaching was good But he was finally off in his putting and that's what lost for him. Rather, what clinched his defeat, as Blag- den's game was so perfect that John. son. putting poorly, forfeited what ever chance he had of basking in the bright effulgenee of golf's spotlight and departing for home the owner of two championship cups The score was the decisive one of up and to play.
 Blagden was the runner-up in the governors cup at Augusta last winter He is a high class golfer and it is a pleasure to chronicle that he is car ried away with the Essex course. The Eastern player was at the Arlington the season before the links were laid out Both he and his wife-Nrs. Blag den is also a devout lover of golf-ar5 on the links daily and not even the stormy weather has any teTrors for them. They intend remaining at the Arlington throughout the month of February and state that they are SC much impressed with the Country Club links that they will continue be ing annual visitors.
 Blagden went out yesterday after noon in 42 and came in in A. His score of SC is little short of wonder full figuring the dampness of the weather and rain-soaked links. He got in the creek on No. 16 and thai cost him two strokes. His one poor drive came on No. IT. So sans the poor luck his card would have read S3 and it would doubtless have re mained high for the season.
 In the semi-hnal round in the sec ond flight F. M. Lay of Kewanee, III. won from F. x. Diebold of Pittsburg Pa, up and 6 to play, in an excel lently contested match. The genera playing was much more even than the score would indicate, Diebold work ed his way into the semi-inals bl scoring a tidy victory over H. W Turner, of Butte, Mont
 Today c. A. Kerr. a member of the Evanston Golf Club of Kansas City Mo, plays Lay in the final round Kerr is generally picked to win However, Lay continues showing i'm provement in every game and the Evanston player must be at his bes or he won't annex the cup.
 Professional Willie Hoare an nounces that play in the women'' tournament for the Fitch trophy vii take place Saturday morning instead of Friday afternoon Mrs. Phillips Blagden of New York city. is tht latest entrant Hoare is contiden 1 that the field will embrace from ter