New-York tribune., 1914-12-13
Woodland Player Aver
aged Less than so in
All His Rounds.
EVANS DESERVING
OF SECOND PLACE
Travers Rated Third, Fownes
Fourth, Travis Fifth and
Wood Sixth.


Who are the country's leading anna
teur golfers? After nearly year OF
competitive activity, beginning in the
South last winter and ending with the
recent Lakewood gathering, players
have been continuously Showing their
wares" 30 70 speak, but while their
efforts in minor or local contests natu-
rally call for certain consideration, 1t is
Yenily the national championships TO
which the critic should turn his atten-
tion when seeking TO get the class
of the lot. .
In the absence Of an Official list II has
long been the writer's annual custom TO
rate the players, preferring 70 name
those who, in his judgment, are the
first sixteen. Judging by the way some
rush 70 the front with selections, their
calculations are based solely on the
championships. Frequently mueh Oh
importance takes place after these
United States Golf Association AFFAIRS,
which is one reason why this lst never
appears before December.
There are those who only consider
the PLAYERS from year TO year, plan
that to the writer mas never seemed
fair. When n golfer drops completely
from the public eye he is, Of course,
hard 10 deal with satisfactorily, and IN
the event of his absence extending over
a long period, say for two or three
wears, the best thing to do is to leave
him out of ones calculations.
No Easy Problem.
Asa result Of the outcome Of the ma
tional amateur and open championship
tournaments students of form find
themselves confronted with none too
easy problem. In other words, Francis
Ouimet won the amateur title, while
Charles w. Evans, jr., the western
Golf Association champion, came with
in an ace of capturing the open crown.
Had Evans won the open instead OF
finishing a stroke behind Walter Hagen
there might have been a different story
TO tell, but as it is, 0uimet unquestionr
ably deserves the distinction Of again
heading the list.
Truly, the Woodland golfer has
great record-last year winning the
open and this year the amateur. Be-
sides making q good showing at Mid
lothian, Ouimet won the Massachusetts
championship, to say nothing of q num-
Der Of minor tournaments. He really
approaches the ideal golfer nearer than
any one vet developed in this country.
Match or medal play, it is all one 10
him. There is not a club in his bag
that he cannot play in most approved
fashion.
II has generally been admitted that
in sizing up golfer due consideration
should be paid 10 the nature of the
links over which his performances are
made. More credit should go with
success on a testing course than over
some layout abounding in a succession
of levelling holes. Ouimet scored most
OF his brilliant successes on difficult
links, and il is worthy of mention that
during six months Of competitive activ-
ity this exceptional amateur averaged
considerably below so for all his
rounds.
Were Evans as good match as he
is a medal player one would have to
ponder long in seeking for q first
choice. The way he played in the open
at Midlothian gained for him host
of new admirers, but IL should not be
forgotten that Evans's best efforts are
always made on Western courses. His
short game. so apt TO go TO pieces
when playing on keener Eastern greens,
is steady enough at home.
The strain Of match play invariably
finds the weak spot in golfers armor.
Evans has only to point to his putting
when asked 10 explain most Of his de-
feats in the last half dozen amateur
championships. Possessed of a beauti-
full style and an accuracy with both
wood and iron clubs so exceptional as
20 call for the highest praise from the
critics abroad. it seems a pity that the
Edgewater product does not have
better match play temperament. Even
so, Evans deserves second place on this
years tablet.
English Favored Travers.
Jerome d. Travers is clearly entitled
TO next consideration. Like Ouimet
and Evans, the Upper Montclsir man
went abroad in the spring in quest of
foreign honors. All were upsuccess-
full in the amateur at Sandwich, but
although Travers lost in his first match
it Is worthy Of recalling that the Eng
lish critics were practically unanimous
in making him the fsvorite among the
visitors. In fact, the odds quoted
showed that Travers was as we'll IA
yored as any Of the resident leaders.
Reference 20 his attempt on the
other side is only made TO make il
clear how highly Travers's game is
regarded over there, besides suggesting
that his reputation should not be al
lowed to suffer too severely because of
his failure TO do better at Sandwich.
BY competing abroad Travers had TO
forfeit both the Metropolitan and New
Jersey titles. and upo.. his return home
he played little until the latter part
OF the summer, when he went 70
Schenectady for his first and only
tournament appearance prior to the
United States Golf Association meet
ing at Ekwanok.
After winning impressively over the
links Of the Mohawk club, Jerry pre-
pared for Manchester. He got into the
best Of condition, and apparently his
wooden clubs we're working satisfac-
torily. After defeating Eben'M. Byers,
who had previously removed Evans,
Travers worked his way 10 the final.
The mechanical accuracy Of Ouimet
gave Trsvers few openings, and tow
ard the close the Jerseyman practically
defeated himself.
Summing il up, Trsvers, though pos
sesSing, as he does, an ideal match
play Temperament, appears 20 be no
longer master Of all his clubs. Against
slightly inferior golfer the resource
fuIness OF the Upper Montclair man
frequently enables him 70 turn seeming