Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-11
NO GOLFER NOW
LOOMING TO FRONT
Neither Amateur Nor Open National
Champ Stands Head and Shout
ders Above Rivals.
JEROME TRAvERs ON THE SLIDE

The year 1915 will go into golfing his
tory as ono In which there has been no
outstanding. compelling figures either in
the ranks OF. amateurs or professionals.
writes John q. Anderson In the New
York Sun.
That rarely has happened II at all in
recent years. The reference can be. APP
piled both to American and British golf,
for across the water the royal and
ancient game has been superseded so
completely by the bunkers from which
something other than golf ball Is
driven that there has been no competl-
ton of a major order. hence nothing
upon which TO mold an opinion az TO any
one golfers superiority over all others.
No lack OF competition has prevented
such a selection IN American golfing cir
cles. but there has been one reason or
another why no one golfer has cut for
himself niche above all others. Jerome
ID. Travers might not have done 90 bad
had he followed up his victory IN the
national open with another In the ma
tional amateur.
He Furthermore, has suffered reverses
in post-season non-tournament meetings
which. while having no direct bearing
upon his place az golfer In the amateur
world. indirectly hurts his case when II
comes to determining whether golfer
Is supreme above his fellows.
Title 90 hob Gardner.
Robert A. Gardner won the national
amateur. but 4 was by the grace Of fate
that was onkind 70 Maxwell n. Morston
that the Hinsdale golfer reached the final
at Detroit; Furthermore. Gardner has not
figured IN q sufficient number of COM
petitions 70 establish place for himself
apart from the Others erowding around
the upper circle of amateur golf.
Francis Ouiinet dropped from his high
estate. beginning with tile national open.
followed up by bis reverse In the anna
teur, and concluded with his defeat at
Greenwich again In the Leslie cup play
There has been no ono. therefore. In
the amateur ranks who has won for
himself recognition akin 70 that ae-
corded Jerome ID. Travers or Waiter
J. Travis In the years OF their unaues-
toned supremacy. or II. Chandler Egan,
and one or two other figures prominent
In the United States Golf association
amateur ANIMALS.
The same applies TO the professional.
We recall the days OF the late Willie
Anderson. when II was not a question
Of who might win the national open
championship. but who had a chance
10 take the palm away from this master
OF skill and nerves. We recall Alex
Smith. medal and match player extraor-
binary. nowadays we'll content 20 be az
WITHIN the charmed circle. but not as
chief charlner. We recall the brilliant J
J. McDermott. head and shoulders over
all others for two years. taken day II
and day out.
Tom Mcnamara OF Boston. winner o.
three titles. but unable to rise. to tbs
occasion when he had the national oper
almost within his grasp. thereby nullify'
ing his chances OF being elaEsed a. su-
preme for the year. His game. more
over. had not enough OF the spectacular
in Il 70 make him an outstanding figure
even n he. perhaps. Is the best man II
the country today upon whom to lay I
wager II there Is something going OF
which involves him az a competitor
The point OF these commentaries is tina
while the general standard OF play amonl
both amateurs and professionals IN thi
country Is higher every year the stand
ard for the topnotchers seems TO be tenn
porarily ON the decline.
When Walter J. Travis was AZ his hes
ne could be depended upon 70 win, say
nineteen out OF every twenty matches h
played against another amateur In pri
vate or IN tournament competition, VIII
Is there who can DO that same today
judging from performances of the las
seasOn7