New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-24
Eugene Prayer

When Chick Evans reaches the
scene OF the amateur championship
next September he will find an old
rival there to give him battle for the
crown.
For after seasons rest from tour
nament play, Jerry Travers has made
up his mind that one years lay-ox is
sufficient and that next fall he will be
back in the lists.
And no one appreciates better than
Chick what rugged opponent he may
have 10 meet
Travers is the hardest type Evans
finds TO handle. For Jerry is not only
a fine putter, but one OF our best IRON
PLAYERS and one of the surest men IN
the game at chip shot of the green.
There is very little difference in the
results obtained by the two with an
iron, driving iron or mashle. Cnlck
Is much surer with the wood, but II
is hard to make up with the wood any
margin one may lack around the cup.
Their Meetings.
Their last meeting at Wykagyl in
friendly four-ball match could hardly
be considered d fair test, for Chick
had never seen the course before. Yet
it was strikingly like their first meet
ing at Chicago Golf in 1912. On any
number Of holes Evans would have
shade the best Of il, or at least an
even break.
But on the green this advantage was
soon wiped away. For Travers was as
much above Evans on the Wykagyl
greens as he was on the greens of the
Chicago course four years ago.
At Wykagyl, for example, although
Jerry had been playing very little golf,
his short game was handled with sur
passing skill and even more surpass-
ing confidence. We recall four holes
in particular where Chick was closer
on his second shot Yet he lost two
of these and only managed TO halve
the other two. 1t is impossible 10 es-
innate the depressing effect in match
play of such turns as this. One OF
the hardest types in the game to beat
is the golfer who is constantly run
ming his long approach puts dead,
missing none of the three and four
footers and holing a fair share of
those 10 and Is feet away.
Rising to the Occasion.
Another factor that will make Trav-
ers a hard opponent for Evans next
year, II they should meet, would be
Jerry's ability to rise TO the required
occasion. Take his last match. He
had not played Wykagyl better than
II all summer-the few times he had
played. Yet, being extremely anxious
to make a fine stand against the open
and amateur champion, Travers trav-
elled the distance in " strokes, five be-
low his average play for the year.
The golf he played at Wykagyl would
have raised havoc at Merton, for there
were few there able to putt with any
sure consistency.
Another Evans.
IL must also be remembered that,
having bagged both championships af-
ter a long wait, Evans will be a harder
man TO overthrow than he has been.
lie will never be a fine putter OF the
I Travis-Travers type until he com
pletely alters his present style.
But better confidence can make him
at least an average putter, and aver
age work only on the greens will al
ways make him formidable opponent
as long as he carries the rest OF his
genius to within sight of the cup.
At Iron Play.
At iron play there is no great diff
ference between the two in the way
of results. But Chick obtains his
returns with greater ease and greater
beauty in execution. He has improved
the frmne IS OF his play also the last
year.
There should be many meetings be-
tween these great golfers later on.
Both are still under 30, with over 20
years of championship golf ahead.
And one seasons rest will have no ef-
feet upon Travers's game. Hilton at
one time dropped out for over two
years. and when they figured he had
completed his day in golf the English
star returned to win three more cham
pionships.
The absence Of Travers and Ouimet
took something away from the last
championship, MS good as II was, but
by 1917 Travers certainly will be back
with n fair chance that Ouimet also
will be returned. II would be won
derful thFg for the game to have the