The sun., 1919-03-24
Taylor Fought Bree,e.

The statement az given above u5on
the authority OF Harry Fulford seemed
strange coming from the title holder
ana the leader In the field. but Il spoke
volumes for the ability of Taylor to
nght the breezes and openly acknowl-
edged the power Of the wind TO cause
scores to mount as we'll as the inability
OF many OF the golfers to surinount the
obstacles
Kay knew that the best player in
the world when a gale was on was
j. II. Taylor and that the one stroke
advantase which he had could not last
long, Sixty out or field Of 26e were
left. McDermott and Mcnamara OF
L. :. A. in the lot. but no ore had
equal skill with the sturdy. thickset
mid-Surry professional whose low wind
cheating drives and mashle shots were
weapons of offence unequailed. II all
turned out as expected.
or the SO top scorers only three were
able to turn in double rounds under so
Ray had an 81 and then an 81 and
even then secured second place eight
strokes distant from the champion Tay-
lot, Michael Moran. who fell fighting
in Flanders, showed spark OF ia. grit
which he was TO prove later on when
after finishing IN an SO due TO a 10 "A.
the very first hole in the days play.
ne won fourth place ny making super
brilliant "a in the afternoon. For that
round he will always be remembered
McDermott finished in NTH place that
year despite finish In an SO. a per
romance which more than anything else
enhanced the standard OF American
professional golf
ON the first days play the general
average was around 7s. hut on the dny
OF the nnal, with the wind bowling. the
general average OF the first 80 golfers
was 90. proof which needs no addi-
ttonal evidence concerning the value OF
training or rather learning how to plav
in the wind. for Il clear four strokes for
professionals means six strokes or moro
for amateurs
milne Day Brings Good Scores.
We can md many instances in orr
own land in professional and amateur
contests, but II were best TO select the
professional because OF the known abil-
ity OF the players who. IL any, could
adapt their games to the weather
conditions. Take Myopia in 1908. for
exa rple. There had been calm weather
FOR the two days OF preliminary prac-
tice and many were the scores under so.
II was freely predicted that a score
OF sos, an average OF II, would be
bNehtN 4HEH lot lls winner even taxing
into consideration the fact that the
green's had been shaved to an unheard
OF degree. But from the sea there
sprang UP on the morning OF the cham
pionship strong breeze threatening to
carry aslant many OF the drives and
iron shots into the yawnirg traps
The worst fears were realized Think
of golfers getting in the money with
such scores as 81, SO. So. Sc and third
place being won by Alex Smith With
not round under 80 and total OF s27,
The title won by Mcleod after a play
off with Willie Smith went with a score
of 322 or an average OF SOY.
II was tho wind that did It and II
certainly did blow. Think OF a player
such as Steward Maiden scoring s59,
Just under an average 'of 80 for the
round. with Herbert Strong, $50. Alex
Ross. S47; Michael Brady, S43; Tom
Mcnamara getting in the money with
339 The fact that the scores NOWADAYS,
even in windy wel ther. are better may
be due 10 the fact that the professionals
have improved and the amateurs as well
in the knowledge Of the way in which
to play into the wind livelier tails and
fairer putting greens When we real
ize that the last open championship was
won with a score OF 2s6. or 80 strokes
better than at Myopia with an even
greater distance separating the eighth
men In each case. the hurt which the
wind does can he seriously considered.
Those two instances, Hoylake and My
opia, s'and out supreme In their line,
althbASh we might multiply tho in
stance with numerous others.