New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-24
of F. Ouimet
Seems q Good Fit

the thought OF being about 10 win
title was more than | could stand up
under" And Jerry has pretty lair
gTip upon his nerves.
Even Ouimet, who had won the open
title and whose golf temperament Is
wooden. was plainly upset for the first
nine holes when he tackled Travers at
Ekwanok last fall. On two occasions
where he had 12-foot puts his ball
went only half way to the hole. Travers
was off in his wooden play, however,
and instead Of being or up, as he
should have been at the end of eighteen
holes, lost his chance, and Ouimet, re-
gaining his confidence, swept on at un-
beatable speed.
If Travers had gone back TO his
trusty driving iron he might easily
have been up before 0uimet got going
and then it is no cinch that Ouimet
would have played with his returned
confidence. Winning that first amateur
title is the toughest test of them all.
Evans is still up against this handi-
cap. Year after year he found himself
beaten in the semi-fnal by some quick
turn. One year i'm tee semi-tinal he had
Bill Fownes , up and to play and
then lost the last three holes.
t Wheaton, in 1912, he was l up on
Travers at the end of eighteen holes,
but was beaten and in the after
noon final. 1t was this same feeling
which brought about his defeat at Gar
d n City in 1913.
81 had waited whole year." he said
next morning after his defeat by An
derson, ito get another crack at jerry
One can imagine what a state of mind
this might produce when at last the
chance was almost in reach-and some
thing slipped.
John Graham is the greatest amateur
golfer in the world, but he was upset
in several early British championships,
and so now has never won one, being
toppled over just as the goal is in sight
each year.
vans is a grand golfer, and the bat
tie this year will be staged in the West.
But he is bound to feel in his heart
that he should have won several cham
pionships by now, and this feeling will
operate against him in a tight match.
He can't help but remember that som =
thing has always happened against him
beforehand this would leave almost
any golfer wondering just when il will
happen again-bringing on a Fremont
ton of disaster that is generally fatal.
Ouimet the Favorite.
60 il happens that Ouimet again will
be favorite, with Travers ranked sec
on1 in case he gets an opportunity TO
play enough golf to get grip on his
game. Evans runs third in the betting
until he cracks his hoodoo, although he
is in no sense the worst golfer OF the
three. As shot maker he is the best
American amateur, but match play and
medal play are two entirely different
tests.
This doesn't mean that no one else
has a chance. Such fine golfers as Os-
valid Kirkby. Warren Wood, Bill
Fownes and others are always TO be
considered if they happen 20 be on
IN -lr game or have had chance TO get
prlmed properly for the occasion.
But it is hard to hook a golfer like
Ouimet or Trayers in match play. Last
fall at Ekwanok in the first round, for
example, Max Marston went out to
give 0uimet the battle Of his life.
Ouimet was looking for no such early
test. Coming 10 the fourteenth hole,
they were all even. Marston got away
a beautiful drive, leaving himself an
easy pitch 10 the green. Ouimet, on
the contrary, topped his drive into a
deep ravine, where il looked impos-
sible TO play out. Il looked 10 be a
lost hole TO certainty. But Ouimet,
playing from this thick underground,
placed shot on the green, ran down
l2-foot putt and got a 3. winning the
hole against Marston's par A. He also
won the match by just that margin. II
took a miracle shot 10 save the day,
but Ouimet had il when needed. II
he had lost that hole Marston would
have had a winning advantage. as he
was playing the gamest and soundest
sort Of golf.
The Open Championship.
Walter Hagen is a very fine young
golfer, but he hasn't yet reached the
steadiness shown by Alec Smith and
MeDermott when they won in success
siye years. and il is matter Of grave
doubt as 10 whether he can win again.
He has an even chance against any
other one entry, but only an outside
chance TO repeat against the field.
Professionals in America play but
little tournament or exhibition golf.
Most OF their time is taken up in in
struction or course experimenting, so
they are rarely at their best in tourna-
ment play. Since McDermott has gone
so badly backward the best young pro
In Anerica has been Mcdonald Smith,