The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-25
~ JOHN o.. ANDERSON.

The competitive season OF 1915 Is nov
a thing of the past no far as tho big
majority of golfers OF class IL concerned.
all too short season and pick out the
! particular spots which cleaned the
brightest.
The golf play at the Panama EXPOSE
ton WAS the first OF Importance in in
;,reSt to the whole country. The first
prize for the professionals was $1,000.
As the Eastern clubs did not care to
pay the expenses of their professionals
IT, such an event, since the honor was
all too doubtful with true form not In
great evidence SO carly in tho year. II
was no surprise that the class repre-
scented was not overly good. The best
golfer IN the tournament won. and that
was some satisfaction. for 1t took no lit
tie confidence in ones game to pay ex-
pcnscs and risk the Journey OF such a
distance. But Walter Hagen felt well
pleased when he received the biggest
single amount ever given a winner In an
open tournament In the country.
The amateur play produced a new
winner in Harry X. Il. Davis. and his
name was heralded from coast to coas
more OF account of his wonderful Ions
driving than for any other special golf
Ing gifts. Davis was the player who
was greater than Oulmet, or Travcrs,
who would come East and win their
honors away from them with
& tive ease. These were the stories which
fitted across the wire and were pres
ENTITY corroborated In person by those
amateurs and professionals who s'N
exhibition at mat time. But NOT AZ
gave credence to the assertions. Some
believed that Mr.. Davis gained MS
Standing at or near the top partly be-
cause ~ his splendid size, which always
counts I'm The first stories of a man, but
which, as Il golf. does not give any
certainty Of success. The champions OF
his country have been well built. oitcn-
times. but II must never he forgotten
that Fred Mcleod. Mr.. Ouimet IN
1913. and Mr.. Travers and J. j. Nc
] Dermott, who have five of the past six
titles To their credit, are not what we
would term hig men. and their average
weight. I happen to know, was under
i45 punnds. Physical strength. how.
D ever, gives "A fine start for the story OF
what a golfer might do. but 1t can never
tell What he will do. When Mr.. DAVIS
came eastward ard played In the Wesi-
..u amateur at cleveland Ne had ms
first real chance to make good all the
fine things which had been said about
him. But he failed miserably. not even
qualifying. although the scores made ~
the testing round We're the highest that
they had been for years. and Nj. Davis
had more thar "A week To get accustomed
to the change Of soil. We must put
down his first attempt a. a bad failure
II viii take a testing WITH other Eastern
golfers IN match and media play before
the rank ana file Of golfers the country
over viii accord 10 the coast champion
the high honor claimed for him at the
beginning of the year.
The golfers throughout the United
States were anticipating with erea'
pleasure the visit OF Mesrs. Nardon. Rag
duncan and Mayo. Foursome matches
were to be played by this great quartet
andl | belive that such a scheme would
have made the foursome 4 thousant
times more popular than it - to-day
II the visit had become = reality. Bl'
.he destruction Of the IIsitania caused
the PLAYERS 80 change their minds ant
America was deprived Of a scene y
her golhng history or a good golf courS,
which in all likelihood would nave beg
CARED description.
wonder what words would nave beer
needed to describe the finishes of Var
don, Ray. Duncan and all the Others
who were so near the top " they eacf
had had a chance to tie or defeat GU
3 own Jerry TravrrS. n W At excitement
would nave prevailed Il. a. h~apr"nef
+, WAS Travers who had To- do the iigh.
,ng 10 the end To become the champion
of the land. ] bellev" there would have
ha.u A, ,hrour oi - 600 people out Z