The evening world., 1920-08-12
National Golf CrOUn
Almost Sure to Stay
In the United States
Pemnares of Inverness Tourney Over and Real Test Starts
ToDay-vardon and Ray and Other Foreigners Practically
Out of Running and the Sensational lock Hutchinson or
Some Other Homebred Likely to Capture HonorS.

Of shots, but actually finished two
strokes better.
Jones, trying nightly, hugely en-
Joyed the sensation of scoring better
than his illustrious opponent. At the
finish Nardon said he was very much
impressed by Jones's game. In the
writer's opinion Vardon, before sail
ing tor home i'm the autumn, will pay
Jones the compliment OF having the
best golfing style OF any American
amateur
While Vardon and Ray scored higher
than was expected, Larry Ayton, a big.
blond-haired Scot, came in with the
leaders with final total of 147. Char
lie Mayo, veteran English tourna-
ment star, barely slipped into the
select group with 1876 strokes.
Jock Hutchinson, recent winner of tho
Western title, easily spread eagled the
field with his 141 total Recording ~
for the opening round, Jock followed
yesterday by breaking the Inverness
course record with a SO. So perfect
was Hutchison's game coming to the
green that his score could have been
three or four strokes lower but for
short,s easy puts that just wouldn't
drop in. Hutchisons showing was the
sensation of the two days Of qualifying
| trials.
The chief favorites in the tourna-
ment, Walter Hagen and Jim Barnes
encountered stormy going to qualify.
| Hagen was way off form on the
greens, a weakness that shot his score
to n for a 155 total. Barnes lacked
his usual fine direction through the
| fairways and occasionally had to re-
cover from bunkers. This weakness,
however was partially balanced on
the greens when the tall St Louis
crack reeled off some valuable long
puts. Mike Brady, runner-up to
| Hagen at Brae Burn in 1919 for the
National title, also had tight
squeeze, only a brilliant finish en-
abllng him to continue on in the
championship.
Several other leading players were
not so Fortunate Pat O'Hara, who
came to the United States in the
| spring with the prestige of holding
the championship of warning ireland,
could only register a total of 1862,
which was not even close TO the divid-
ing line. Charles Hoffner, one Of the
| best players in the Philadelphia dis
| trict, and Emmett French, a con-
sistent leader in tournaments, both
fell victims 10 the hazards that fea-
ture the Inverness course and were
| ousted nght out or the party.
| Sixty-seven qualified for the cham
pionship. Totals of 157 and better for
| the two eighteen-hole trials got In.
This was two strokes lower than the
| dividing line for the recent British
| championship at Deal. Scoring cOndl-
| ttons at Inverness are big impl owe
ment over the Seaside course that
was baked out for the British tour
| nament, and the competing field in
cludes more top-notch golfers than
| the one that played IN England.
| While 1t was expected that pro-
| fessionals would monopolize low d ST.
| tions at Inverness, IL was not i'm
! agined that the amateur contingent
would give the paid players such a
run for their title. In the gr ,up Of
| those eligible to participate in the
| championship are eight amateurs, in
| Guiding Tommy Armour the young
Scotchman who possesses the cham
| pionshlp OF France. The others are
| Chick Evans, Bobby Jones, Bill
| Fownes, former NationaI champion;
Ruddy Knepper, Harold Johnson,
| John Anderson and Howard Lee.
Armour expects TO make his hume in
| the United-States.
Evans and Jones are both conceded
a good chance OF finally winning the
open championship.