The New York herald., 1921-06-17
Miss Stirling Is off Her
Game in Afternoon Round.
I'm the Aasocinted Press.


FoNTAINEBLEAU, France, June 16.-Miss
Cecil Leitch, British women's open golf
champion, and Miss Joyce Wethercd, the
nineteen-year-old runner up in the recent
tournament played at Turnberry, Scot
land. will meet tomorrow in the final
of the women's French title event.
Miss Wethered this afternoon In the
semi-final won the right to play Miss
Leitch for the French title by defeating
Miss Alexa Stirling of Atlanta. the
American champion, 5 up and to play.
The defeat of Miss Stirling surprised
and disappointed the large gallery that
followed the pair, for she had played
sound and consistent golf In the morning
round, when she easily defeated another
American. Mrs. Thurston Wright of
Pittsburgh, up and to play. 1t had
been confidently expected Miss Stirling
would survive the semi-fi 7als. She played
poorly in the afternoon match, however,
and picked up her ball at the fourteenth
hole when she saw 1t was impossible for
her to win.
Miss Leitch won her way through to
the final round by taking a hard fought
match from Miss Molly Griffiths, an
other English golfer, the champion be-
ing but one up at the eighteenth hole.
Miss Strings defeat was case OF
the champion being entirely Off her game,
while her strong opponent was going at
top speed and getting the breaks, which
were numerous. The Arlericai was out
classed by Miss Wethered in every de-
partment of the game except putting
| where Miss Wethered showed some un-
steadiness although even here Miss Stir
] ling's play was not up to her usual f9rin
Miss Strings III luck started az the
| first hole, when failure to sink ten incl
| putt, which trimmed the cup, cost her the
hole. After halving the second hole In
4, Miss Stirling topped her drive and
sliced her iron shot; then she missed
two puts. losing the hole.
Miss wethered meanwhile was play
irg splendid ee-l not only outdriving the
American chaE,r .on, but showing better
form on her approach shots. which had
been Miss Strings strongest point In
the earlier game. The English woman
took the third and fourth holes with the
par of and 3, respectively. The fifth
and sixth holes were halved because Miss
Wethered failed to sink short puts.
The English representative generally
was on the green ahead of the Ameri-
can woman, but at times lost her ad-
vantage by poor putting. She won the
seventh with the par three, while Miss
Stirling, driving into the rough, took
American champion rallied and halved
the next two. She seemed to have re-
covered her steadiness and her sup
porters were still hopeful. although she
was down at the turn.
The tenth hole was ha'ved I'm four
Miss Stirling then won her only hole OF
the match, the eleventh. Both drove
into n bunker. but Miss Stirling made
fine iron shot, while her opponent
went off the course into the rough for
the only time of the match. taking four
to reach the green. Miss Stirling missed
her first putt and her opponent did like
wise, and the American finally won in
s strokes to T.
The next hole was halved In three.
Once more Miss Stirling showed un-
stsadiness. while the English woman.
playing perfectly. won the next two
holes and the match