New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-16
Met. Open Golf Title
Won by Walter Hagen

plause By his wonderfully accurate ap-
prosch shots. His putting was not by
any means the strongest part OF his
game.
As for Barnes. il must be Said that
but for the slip on the tenth he would
probe bly, have won, or at least haived
the match. Losing three strokes on
that one hole. the Brton buckled TO his
work and had won back two Of them
when the final putt was sunk. lie out
drove even the far-drivirg Hagen IN a
majority Of cases, and when he de-
veloped widness with wood or IRONS
almost invariably made II by, scnsa-
tional recoveres As IL turned out, IT
was the one stroke penalty at the tentn
that spelled defeat for the great Brit
sh golfer.
Strain Tells on Hoffner.
Little Hohner carried the sympathy
and the hopes of the gallery for the
greater part of the journey. Finding
himself outdriven by yards on practi-
cally every hole and regularly playing
the odd, the Philmont younester only
kept in the running by holding long
puts and BY his deadly chip shots from
Just off the green. Even when he ala
succeed in reaching some Of the greens
in two shots il was by extreme muscu,
lar effort. and the strain began to tell
in the last few holes. where he faltered
and saw his two veteran opponents
pass into the lead.
But there are other days and otner
championships 70 come, and IT needs no
gift Of rare perception 70 predict thst
Young Hoffner will be heard from again
when championships are being fought
for on the links.
A blue sky. hecked with feecy clouds
and lust enough of wind 70 STIR the
leaves on the trees about the club
house. greeted those who made the trip
to Garden City TO witness the struggle
for the title. The crowd that followed
the players around the course was not
large, and there were almost "a many
women as men, but each and every one
seemed 70 follow the play with an IN
terest born Of knowledge Of the game
and good shots never lacked spprecia-
! ton
In accordance with the time -honored
custom. the gallery was kept in leash
/ by men and boys with ropes, with wal,
ter j. Travis. awheel. riding on ahead
to mark the lire beyond which the on
/ lockers must not pass. Miss Marion
Hollins. a former women's metropolitan
golf champion; Walter Camp, famous
in Yale football history, and John NJ.
Ward. onetime baseball player with
the Giants and later sterling golfer,
were among those who watched the
play-off for the title.
Hoffner was the first to tee up, the
ball sailing so low TO the ground that
il did not clear the cross bunker by
much distance. A slight hook carried
the rubber core just TO the edge OF the
rough. Then up stepped Hagen, an
iron club in his hand, and he sent h,
ball straight down the fairway.
Barnes, using the wood, did not hit the
ball cleanly, and landed in the rough.
With a mashie-niblick, however, the
Briton ripped the ball out beautifully,
and came to rest some twenty feet from
the pin. He just failed 70 send down
the long putt, and he, Hagen and Hon.
ner halved in fours.
Gets Hole in Two.
On the short second. over the yawn-
ing chasm OF sand and stubble, Barnes
and Hagen pitched up their mashie
shots from the tee within fifteen feet
of the pin. Hoffner brought up TO the
right. some forty feet away, but a mo-
ment later those in the gallery ap-
plauded wildly when the youth from
Philmont sent the ball straight TO the
hole for .. Hagen and Barnes tried
Continued on Page 2. Part III, Column >.