The New York herald., 1921-04-24
Friends of Golf Champion Feel
She Will Do Well at
Turnberry.
BY KERN \. PETRIE.

The performance OF Miss Alexa Stirling
in the golf Journeys at Ranelage and
Burhill, England. cannot but be graft
flying TO the vast army OF American
stay at home golfers who have been
wondering since their champion sailed
away just where and how she would ft
in the competitions overseas. When the
Atlanta girl left she was quoted as say
ing that she expected 10 return with the
British and the French championships,
when. as a matter of fact. she had been
so well schooled in what to expect that
she had gone away feeling almost that
she was off not so much to try for a title
as to take few lessons.
At least one of the British players
Miss Stirling has been taught to regard
as being in a class by herself This one
Is Miss Cecil Leitch. A great many
others. such as Miss Mollie GrifIiths, she
had come 10 believe were fully up TO her
own standard IL not margin beyond.
Thellore II gratifies immeasurably the
stay at homes. as II must have nerved
Miss Stirling out OF all knowing, to And
that. after all. between her thirty-siX
holes at Ranelagh and that OF the queen
Of the British links there is a difference
of not more than three strokes. a trio
of wee puts, perhaps. that might have
been saved on the greens during that
last round. For evidently Miss Stirling
was not a little unnerved during that
last eighteen holes Of play at the critical
attitude of the gallery. which unexpected
ly manifested itself In encroaching upon
the putting greens, no doubt with the
very best of intentions.
The fact that between Miss Stirling
and Miss Leitch there was another
rIayar IN tha orda. ~ tba 'sda RI bnrSn
Miss Joan Stockers and at the At
lanta girls elbow another, whose name
the dispatches do not give, demon
strates that the opposition which the
American champion will encounter In
the British championship at Turnberry
IS liable to be something altogether diff
ferent from what she has found in the
United States national tournament the
last two years. 1t shows. moreover. that
there is more than Miss Leitch to be
considered. This is further borne out
by the Burhill play. where. however,
Miss Stirling is found to have cut down
Miss Leitch's lead to single stroke.
New to English Conditions.
However, II must be borne in mind
that Miss Stirling Is new to English
conditions. Noting the three stroke dii-
ference in the aggregate totals Of Miss
Leitch and Miss Stirling at Ranelagh
those who told the latter when she LEFT
that she had good chance provided she
could play her best golf all the way
through will not feel like recanting, but
rather will they have renewed faith IN
their own judgment.
\ Where Miss Leitch's game would APP
pear to excel that OF Miss Stirling. as
close as one can come to calling the turn
at this distance. Is through the green
in the tee shots and in the seconds with
wood. For a woman Miss Stirling plays
/ a very long iron shot, and In this de-
partment as well as in the mashie pitch
| irg and putting 1t is scarcely conceiy-
able that the Atlanta girl is outrankec
even by the British Diana of the links
But while great advantage may b.
\ gained by the long hitter, who Is meet.
| ing the ball well, that advantage sud
denly may melt away like snow before
the April sun in the heat and stress oi
closely contested match. IL will bt
surprising indeed IL even Miss Leltch
does not feel that in Miss Stirling tha
United States has gent her a rival that
| Is both highly accomplished golfer and
one who actually Is to be feared. Miss
/ Iseitch Is not overrated, yet she will
have need OF her best game OF goli
should she happen to find Miss Stirling
4 playing as those who have followed her
| these five years know she can play
when in the mood.
1t is difficult these days TO speak with
any degree Of finality of the intentions
II