Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-03
HARRY VARDON
HAS BEEN IN
GAME 50 YEARS
Is Greatest Golfer In the World,
According to His Mar
veIouS Record

the open golf championship Of Great
Britain, is the greatest golfer in the
world. VardOn is a born golfer. he
has the perfect golf temperament and
his machine-like play all thruugh a
match makes him as np'rlN "p"rlrrT
as man can be.
Never ruffled ur ujiSpr. no matter
what happens on the links. NardOn
plays alUn% and tLe spectator hardly
realizes what wonderful master OF
the game he is, - everything a. ne l.
accomplished with SnCh apparent ease.
His driving looks simplicity itself,
and the timing Of his shots is amdZ-
insly true. With his mashie he works
wonders, and he can not only pat a
back spin on the ball which will hold
il where it lands, but can give ii such
a tremendous Cmt that it will hit and
bound backward
Ills extraordinarily accurate driving
undoubtedly is one of Vardon's great
advantages. lie has but one CT two
equals in accuracy and length COM
hined from the tee, and with the iron
IL dlOHt Ill HIS tldSS.
Once "A very good putter, Vardon
fell Off in this ptrt Of the game and
il was his weak spot. LAST year. in
the open championships. however. he
seemed to have recovered his ability
On the greens.
Vardon has won the open champion
ship Of Great Britain six times, while
James Braid and j.. H. Taylor have
five wins each to their credit. The
1914 title went to Vardon with Tay-
ier second, and in this tournament
VardOn proved himself the greatest
player that ever handled club.
1t is true that tho British champion
has suffered reverses. the one admin
istered by Francis Ouimet In the open
championship OF the United States at
Rrookline in 1913 being one of the
most spectacular.
Vardon was not alone In defeat on
th1t occasion, for, In the play-off of
The ihreeshanded tie his >eanAtrgma
Edward, Ray, also went down before
the young American. Both. English.
men felt that defeat keen1y, but
proved themselves good sp0ftsmen
when leaving for home by boosting
the American youth as great player
and one who was sure to make his
mark in the years to come. =
Vardon was born in Grouyille, Jer.
sey, in May, 1870, and it was in his
home town that he first began to play
golf This he did whenever he got
chance, even with what one Of his
biographers has described as rude
primeval weapons" Before he was
Is Vardon started his career as a
gardener. in which respect he resem-
bles Taylor. All his spare time was
devoted to golf and he soon gave evil
dence Of future greatness by winning
the handicap trophy offered by the
Working Mems Club at GrouVille.
In the early COS he went as green
keeper to the Studley Royal Golf Club
at Ripon, and in 1893 made his debut
in a tournament at Kiln alcplfii, where
he finished fifth, nine STROKES behind
Herd, the winner. He went to Prest-
wick that year. and competed in THE
open championship, but could do no.
better than 26th. A little later he
won his first tourney at Ilkley. 81 /
The next season Vardon showed
great improvement and finished nth
in the championship at Sandwich. But
the following year the hest he was
able to do was ninth at at. Andrews.
lie got into q final in tournament
at Portrush that year and was beaten
by Herd on the last green.
In 1911 he played against Herd in
match, and one of the most sensa-
tional contests of the YER resulted.
Enthusiasts will speak of it as ia
nous victory. the more famous in that
Vardon was not the victor, but the
vanquished. 1t was at Dollymount,
Ireland, and Vardon was six up on
the first round Herd, however, drew
up and squared the match at the 18th
hole The 18th was halyed. amid
scene of wild excitement, and VardOn
drove from the last tee. He got a re-
markable drive, but after some con-
sultation it was decided that the ball
was out of bounds. VardOn made
splendid recovery, but Herd played
mastery golf and won.
Vardon first won the open cham
pionship in 1896, and he was the sec
ond English professional player to
capture the title Two years later, at
Prestwick, he again achieved the
highest honors. In that season his
playing was so sensational and con-
sistent that all his matches were fol
lowed with the greatest interest.
VardOn also won the open title in
1899, 1902, 1911 and 1914.
Personally, VardOn is a graceful.
we'll set up man Of about ) feet 10
inches.