The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-27
Puts Travers at Top Because He
Is Best Match Player
From This Side.
HOPES DRAW IS FAVORABLE
Groups Players From This Side
as He Weighs the Ability
to Do Things.
~ JOHN G. ANDERSON.
Runner Tn IN the Amateur CHAM
pioushsp Of 1913.

Fut IL TlkUt SVH''tlHNS s'u uNf
when you don't hit it right in your prog
nostications Ca word which looks and
sounds rs formidable AS Sandwich
bunl<er) YOU may. like the forecaster. DO
ready with fitting excuse. such as that
the golfer did not hit It right himself. the
ut" referring 30 the ball Fortunately for
my reputation as a forecaster tyet to be
establis hed) / am not Obliged to say who
will win the British amateur champion
ship: wherein I am more fortunate than
the weather man. who must say what the
weather is going 20 be and not merely
what he thinks 1t will be.
Up to this year our golfers who have
played abroad have been content to say
that they hoped 10 make Il decent showing,
and their friends at home have followed
their progress with no great expectancy
1t has been a foregone conclusion that
their race would soon be run.
There are several reasons for this. We
have always been told and always have
believed more or less roligiously that our
best are inferior TO their best and that
they have fifty first class golfers where
we have one.
A. to tho latter many Of us are still OF
the same opinion. regarding the best.
the point is getting decidedly more debat-
able. We thought when Chlck Evans went
abroad in 1911 that America was repre-
scented by Il player capable or holding his
own in any amateur company. but ne
wilted in the nth round, IL no fell by the
wayside what hope was there left? Then
90 iurnld Hill
ton at Apawans that same year In the
United States amateur championship tried
his luck abroad the following year and
was beaten by a second rate player In the
first round.
We then looked upon such British
soifers Is Harold Hilton, John Ball ct al
a. practically invincible. at least so far
a. our own golfers were concerned. Then
c. G. Waldo. Jr. defeated Hilton at
Wheaton then Chick Evans defeated him
in the playon OF the tie in the medal
round of that national championship at
Wheaton in 1911; then Heinrich Schmidt
carried Hilton to the nineteenth hole IN
the sixth round Of the British amateur
championship at St. Andrews last year
And who stands out more than Hilton IN
British amateur golf!
Our opinions as regards the respective
abilities. of the best" players In the
AZ slowly but surely az that some day
something was coming to Hucrta. Per
haos they were hanging in the balance
until last September, when Francis ouinet
cot on the scales Then Americas golf
ine talents were weighed in tho balance
and found not wanting. Tho Meme
Meme, Tekel, Cpharsin" of golf had peeh
on the wall and young Ouimet was the
prophet who deciphered the message Tor
the British.
Now 10 ret back 20 golf. In making
reference to the chances Of the coming
British championship at sandwich the
name of Jerome d. Travers comes at
once to the fore, first because he Is
Americas amateur champion and beyond
a shadow of doubt the best match player
Of this country at present The British
amateur is all match playa point OF I'M
portance In dealing with Mr.. TraNers
chances Of winning the title at Sandwich.
All along the burden OF comment con-
corning Travers has been on the poin'
whether he could get accustomed TO the
use Of wood after having been so long
dcpendent upon iron, and whether he
would falter in his putting because he
must adopt a style or implement dinereh'
from the Schenectady.
What Travers has been accomplishing
in his efforts to try to master his wooden
clube we know only meagrely. but that
"a which won him the Easter gold chal'
lenge medal at Westward iio against
some of the leading British amateurs
surely must have included some first class
wooden play and some first class putting
Westward Ho is ono OF the most difficult
courses IN tho British Isles. II has q
number OF long carries from the tees
shots which 10 meet with success demand
not only distance but accuracy OF direc
ton. II is "A course of great variety, ter
rifying hazards and total length of $40
wards which makes IL anything but al
iron course. This tells the old. ole
story about Jerry rs-determinatio,
overcoming obstacles.
In this country there is one fact Away
present in AN opponents mind when play
ing with Mr.. Travers. which is that h
takes and gives no quarter In these day
no championship, aud particularly on
with an international flavor TO II, carrie
with IL any atom of fun. You do get go
when you win great match. but aftc
all the play reduces itself to seriou
business and the business man is he win
can exact the pound Of flesh from his OF
ponent by r. rigid adherence to the re
Cuirements OF each shot. Some are bet
ter fitted to assiinllate this fact and pui
sue II.
On the other side OF the Atlantic Their
are about ten whom I might name VIII
possess this winning factor--lIilton. Bal
Lasscn, Maxwell, Scott, Palmer, Hutch.i
son, Aylmer and IA few others. In Amer
lea you can count them on the fingers q
one hand and perhaps have some finger
left over at that. But the first name {
put down in this category would be tina
OF Mr.. Travcrs. ! hold that this quail,
Is first and foremost the one which
necessary In "a contestant for an int.rna
t!onal prize.
Estimating, tho""foro, or what the odd
ought 20 be against Mr., Travers a
Sandwich ] cannot sec them wors" tina
II to shot at the start, and ! henev
furthermore that with each succoedin
victory the odds In his case would |
reduced IN greater proportion than in tht
or any other. ] am not iusensblc to III
fact that he might b. beaten In the fir
round. for thorc are to he rockoned wit
about nifty VINO might have a stree,
h-fIiant enough to defeat Mr.. 1ra,crs ,
anybody else at eighteen holes
But Mr. Travcrs IL capable OF sustainc
hrllhancN in match PLAY. whorc most ,
t.g nity might hn sporadic. and /,
eN'. Guslit", added to MS hghting splr
"nich Is 80 apt to keen u IN gong rig
'ntnIgh 80 tho goai sougut firm
."lhNc tuht ne has al least an can
''"r'c with aGv other one Iuan.wno "A
"' IN tn tournament {, aud the ,hit
NUNS ~. i"r tn, ycgr should lind him
No h''Tht "t|hl- paur.
N't J am h"pi,s 1los' 10 that he n,