The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-20
RANKED AS
LEADING PROFESSIONAL
His Performances This Year Entitle Him to Stand at
Top Of List-Hagen Deserves Second Place
and Nichols Should Be Third.

top again next year with much prize
money In store for him.
Third position Is a hard one to solve
the place lying between Robert Nc
Donald and Gilbert Nichols. The for
mer played mighty well in every en-
| counter except the Western open. He
had a grand chance for the open title
at Baltusrol and tied for the MetropOh-
tan open championship, hut for all that
l believe that the third place belongs
to the winner of that open tourney, Gill
bert Nichols. 1t was the latters best
year ever. Possessed of fancy shots
galore, of a drive with great distance
and a mashie shot second to none,
Nichols shone brightly at Shawnee, only
glimmered at BaltusrOl, where, however,
he finished in the money. due to a splen-
did last round. and then sCintillated
| again In almost Shawnee style In the
Metropolitan at Eos Hills. He finished
In the money in the Massachusetts open
and on various other occasions o a
good share of the purses, so that his
| position Is scarcely below that Of Walter
Hagen. No one who has seen Nichols
play can wonder at his ~brilliance, for
his individualistic style has force n
brings results. l look for him to have
the finest year of his career in 1916.
1t would be impossible and ridiculous
" lTN 10 IdIh any ol the oNHtT DlOAt0-
SIGNALS I'm the proper order. No one
stands out above the others. although
honorable mention might be given to
Brady. Barnes, Mcdonald and Sargent,
and indeed a number of others who ave
been near the honored places during the
year Just passed For the most part we
| still stick to the old names-witness
Alex Smiths &C at M~aplewood the other
day-when we speak about the best
professionals, but there are newcomers,
players like Charles Hoffner and George
Mclean. who will In years to come. not
far distant at that, take the places OF
the lllustrious few. The fairly recent
arrivals, such as Louis Teller and WI
fred Reid n James Hepburn, have not
left a sufficient impression upon the
minds OF the public to warrant leader
ship positions as yet, but time may
tell a different tale.
II I were asked to name the greatest
sporting event OF the year Il would not
be the amateur championship at golf,
or the tennis title struggle. or the
worlds championship at baseball. or the
Harvard-Yale spectacle. Rather Il
would be the enior tournament held
this week at Apawamls. The attend
ance, more than 800, will break all
records. The pleasant rivalry, and the
very sight itself of men threescore and
over strtdirg. not toddling, or cropping,
or dawdling along, Is enough to send
the doctors to China and cause every
one with any Ills or pains TO rush to
the nearest shop TO buy a set of life
preserving tools.
/ doubt a denial Of the statement
that more than one OF these players this
week would be beneath the sod II II
were not for the game of golf. The
sum OF years which the 800 men will
enjoy beyond tho usual allotted span
because golf came into their lives must
be very large.
Only yesterday I received two letters
from men who arc going to take part
in the event. They were following my
advice. they said. about not playing
their best before the tournament and
trying to work up to their top form.
That form may or may not 30 twenty
strokes removed from par. But what
OF It? Par to them is health and
strength and love OF life in all its forms,
n II they can get the Joy OF living
from acquaintance with nature through
the medium Of a royal sport a score
card means nothing at all. But I shall
watch for their names with unusual
interest. To a young man tho game Is
a source of pleasure. OF acquaintance
".'P' .'"'y sHu icS!ehtlon. ana ne
views II as a comma medium OF his
existence But to the older player the
game means much more. He sees that
II ie the only thing which he can dc
out OF doors and thoroughly enjoy. the
only means for a rugged fellowship with
his fellows, n so he soon has an
affection for the sport which we who are
younger can neither understand nor feel
But those who compete in that splendid
event this week cannot but make the
youth OF the land who are Interested in
golf feel that now for the first time old
age FOR a golfer has no sting