The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-09
Chick Evans and Robert
Gardner Win Matches
in Semi-Finals
GREAT STRUGGLE is
EXPECTED FOR TODAY
Neither Victor Is Closely Pressed.
Evans Has Harder Battle to Elm
mate Opponent-Corkran Fights
to the Final Hole

Philadelphia, September S.-The ma
tiona1 amateur golf championship of
1915 is a prize assured for the west for
another season, as Charles Evans, Jr.,
and Robert A. Gardner, both of CHI
cngo, won their way into the final
round of the titular tournament on the
course of the Merton Cricket club to-
day and will meet for the champion
ship over the same sward tomorrow.
Gardner came through to the finals by
defeating jesse Guilford, the Massa-
chusetts champion, and A, while Ev-
ans eliminated d. Clarke Corkran OF
Baltimore and 2.
When Gardner and Evans meet 1t
will be the first time that defend
ing amateur champion has ever faced
the amateur open titIehoIder of the
same season. Chick Evans, one of the
three amateurs of recent years to hold
the open honors, has the opportunity
to capture two national championships
in the same year.
One of the best exhibitions of amateur
play of recent years is expected tomor-
row, for neither finalist was over-golfed
in winning his way into the final. In
fact, the play, taken as a whole, was
rather slow, neither victor being closely
pressed, while, in addition, the afternoon
rounds were played in gale of wind,
thunder, lightning and heavy rain, which.
drenched spectators, officials and the four
competitors in the northumberland. Evans
had tl,,a
opponent, for Corkran stuck doggedly to
his task and was never ready to concede
the victory of the open champion until
the latter made his final thrilling putt
OF more than 80 feet on the thirty-second
green.
EVANS SEEMED DOOMED
This play, the climax of the match be-
tween Evans and the Baltimore entrant,
was the golfing gem Of the contest Evans
overplayed the green on his second shot,
landing on the very rim of the bowl,
while Corkran was but six feet from the
pin with his third. 1t appeared almost
certainty that the hole would go to
the Marylander and the match decided
on the last two holes, but Evans putted
with just the right force and direction
of the cup. while the gallery gasped
and then applauded as Corkran ran over
and shook hands with his successful
rival
Gardner has shown wonderful ability
to get out of trouble during the past
two days play and his golf has been
the most consistent of the tournament.
His putting has been one of the features
OF the play. He has sunk long puts
when he needed them badly and but four
times in the past two days has he taken
more than two puts on a green. His
approach puts have been absolutely dead
to the pin.
When Gardner has found his long shots
in trouble, he has made wonderful re-
coveries.
GUILFORD OFF FORM
Guilford was off his game today. His
putting was poor and Gardner was three
up at the end of the first nine. He in
creased this lead to four up at the end of
the morning play and held this lead to
the twenty-seventh hole Guilford won
the tenth, but after that he began to
fade away and Gardner ended it with a
par four on the thirty-second green.
Neither Corkran nor Evans was at the
top of his game. Evans won because he
was the steadier. While the medal scores
of both were high, Chick managed to
get in telling shots when they were most
needed.
Corkran took the lead, winning the long
second, to 5. Four is a birdie. Evans
came back strong, winning the fourth,
fifth and sixth holes in par figures. Cork
ran won the short seventh, to 5, Evans
making a ragged drive and taking three
puts. The eighth was halved in tours.
but Evans took the ninth with a par
three.
On the tenth and eleventh par golf was
played and these holes were halved
Corkran won back a hole at the twelfth,
but lost the short thirteenth to Evans.
who made par three. From this hole to
the eighteenth not a hole was halved,
Evans winning on the fifteenth, six
tenth and seventeenth and Corkran taxi
ing the Others This left Evans up at
the end of the morning round.
EVANS WINS FIRST
Evans won the first hole in the after
noon. 4 to s. The next two were halved
in fives and the rest Of the way to the
turn there were no halves, Evans taking
the fifth, seventh and eighth and Cork
ran getting the others, On the ninth
Corkran got a two for his win. This was
the only two of the day.
At this turn, which was the twenty-sev-
enth hole. Evans was four up. The open
champion played the tenth poorly, taking
six and losing the hole. To make up for
his ragged work on the tenth. Evans got
a birdie. a three, on the eleventh land got
his lead back to four. The twelfth and
thirteenth were halved in five and three.v
Corkran won the fourteenth with Ave to
Evans six.
On the fifteenth Evans drove into q pit
on the right. He pitched out to the fair
way and his third was over the green.
Corkrans second was on the edge Of the
green, but he spoiled his chance for q
win by taking puts to two for Evans
and they halved in five.
The sixteenth proved to be the final hole.
1t was halved in par tours. Evans laying
his approach putt dead.