The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-06
by KERR n. PETRIE.

In day that was supposed to come
closer to his native conditions than any
thing he has experienced since arriving
on these shores. Thomas D. Armour of
Lothianburn, Scotland holder of the
French amateur golf championship, yes
terday played himself into the semi-final
round of the annual invitation tourna-
ment OF the Piping Rock Club. where he
remains alone OF the two representatives
of the British Empire who started in the
event on Thursday Armour came
through the first and second rounds of
match play fairly comfortably. whereas
the Canadian champion, c. p. Grier of
Royal Montreal, succumbed in the after
noon in a nineteen hole match to Join n.
Stearns Jr., of Nassau.
With a arctic wind sweeping the fields.
1t was day for the player who can hew
TO the line. Inability to perform thus
was what accounted for the defeat of
Henry j. Topping at the hands of Ar
mour by and in the first round. The
Greenwich man was not hitting his shots
well, and instead of getting just a wee
bit too much to the side of the course the
{ influence of the wind often caused these
misdirected strokeS to wander far afleld.
While prone to be wild off the tee. Ar
mour had a powerful low iron that re-
peatedly brought him out of difficulties
and back to the straight and narrow
path. The French holder used this shot
TO advantage both against Topping and
again in his match with Percy r. Pyne
I'd of Kebo Valley, whom he eliminated in
the afternoon by Q UP and 1 to play. In
the latter match Armour managed to roll
up for himself a lead of up with no
more than seven holes played For his
own peace of mind it is perhaps just as
well that he did so well in the early
stages Of the contest, for later on Pyne
put up a grand fight and so awaited him.
self of streak Of wild play on the part
Of his opponent that match was brought
down to one hole at the thirteenth.
Canadian Champion Loses.
1t was through the fundamentally of
John II. Stevens, Jr., of Nassau that
Grier was eliminated. 1t was a match
OF the touch and go variety. for the
Nassau man had to win the last hole to
square. Stearns at the outset had made
such good weather that he led by 2 up at
the fifth, winning the fourth in a and
the next in birdie 8. On the long sixth
and seventh however. Grier found an op-
portunity to square and the Canadian
even went into the lead at the ninth with
a against a 5
Coming back 1t was a battle royal al
the way. Stearns squared on the tenth,
lost the fourteenth, and after bringing
the contest even again at the fifteenth
lost the sixteenth with a against a A.
The seventeenth saw a half in par 3.
which left the champion OF the Dominion
dormie. However, coming down against
the blow Stearns had the best of ii, and
he squared with a against his oppo-
nent's 6. 1t was the second shot on the
extra hole that made all the difference.
Stearns was straight while Grier wasted
stroke through hooking into the rough.
In the morning Stearns hadseliminated
| Hamilton X. Kerr OF Greenwich by 9
| up and to play although the pair had
! finished in tie for the qualifying medal
the previous day at &c. Finding that
| they were drawn together for the first
round they decided to let the media go
| on the result. That trophy OF course now
reposes In the collection Of the Nassau
star.
Some of the best golf of the day was
played by Gardiner w. White of Mas
] sau, who won in the first round by A
and 2 from +. c. Newton Of Brookline,
captain of the Massachusetts, Lesley Cup
team and in the second from Grant A.
| Peacock of Cherry Valley by 6 and b.
Beginning with the tenth In the first
round White played eighteen holes In ~
despite the high wind, SO for the second
nine against Newton and SO for the first
nine against Peacock.
Interesting play is anticipated in the