The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-09-01
Victory Of Sixteen Year-Old
Star Keeps New York Herald
Trophy in Play.
BY KERR N. PETRIE.

Since 1907 the linksmen of Greater
New York have been striving to get
a double handed clutch on the New
York Herald Golf cup and take 1t out
of competition. Put up first in 1899, the
conditions In the former year were
twice to make the now famous trophy
his personal property. Year after year
the cup has tottered on its pedestal.
but 1t looks as IL fate intends that. like
Tennyson's brook. 1t shall go on for
ever.
In the tournament which concluded
yesterday it once again looked q bit
bad for the trophy. Walter Purcell,
winner two years ago, got down to the
last bracket. but Walter, the left handed
wonder of the Dunwoodie Country Club,
suffered the fate of all the other one
time winners these last eleven years.
He lost, and that to one Of the youngest
golfers who ever has had his name in
scribed on the silverplate. sixteen-year-
old Joseph Ford The score was up
and 2 to play. Or. again. 1t may have
been / up. But thereby hangs a tale.
In the first place, sixteen-year-
Joe proved that every Ford is not
'flivver." Due perhaps to the import
ance of the occasion. he did not play as
we'll in the morning as many know he
can play, but he opened up a few
notches in the later stages. went out In
35 and turned In snappy ~. That
held Purcell by the aforementioned mar
gin, the double result being due to a
misunderstanding on the twelfth hole,
H.. o. ID
by the committee was protested.
The trouble arose through Ford pull
ing his second shot for the twelfth under
the sagging wire of fence which the
park department has had erected for
the purpose Of keeping meandering pic
nickers off the green. Fords ball lay
on the roadway, almost under the wire.
After some discussion 1t was decided
that he had the right to remove 1t the
clubs length from the obstacle. Pur-
cells adherents could not see eye to
eye with the authorities on this point,
particularly as Ford from the sandy
pathway was allowed to place his ball
on the grass beyond.
Purcell had been in considerable
trouble en- route to the green. two bad
lies, the second in a bunker, putting
him on in four. Playing one off two.
Ford probably could have won the hole
even from his position under the wire.
AS It was, he played on in three and
won with a against 6, this break"
putting him up.
Debate Holds Up Match.
There Is walk of a quarter of O
mile from the twelfth, the last hole on
the meadows, to the thirteenth. the first
on the hills. En- route there was run
ming fire of discussion. eliminating In
standing debate on the merits of the
case on the thirteenth tee. This lasted
for perhaps twenty minutes. when 1t
was finally decided that the match
would continue with the twelfth under
protest. 1t was pointed out that the
committee had merely put into opera
ton local rule which has obtained
practically since the fence was erected
Assuming that Ford won the twelfth.
he started for the hill holes up. He
made 1t up at the thirteenth. laying
his second close after both had driven
to the right of the green. Ford lost
the fourteenth through a pull, to tho
rough and a topped second. Inadvert-
entity he touched his ball while address
ing 1t for the second shot. but he lost
the hole in any event At the next
both drove the green and halved In 8
and then Purcell. on the next. made
the mistake of taking three puts. 4
by no means difficult matter at Van
Cortlandt.
1t was rather amusing to note how.
after solemnly shaking hands on the
sixteenth green. Purcell and Ford pro-
ceeded to the seventeenth tee to play
out in the event of the ruling on the
disputed hole going in favor of Purcell.
The humor of the situation was even
more forcibly brought home when the
hand shaking process was repeated on
the home green.
Playing the seventeenth Purcell was
short and Ford to the left of the green.
They halved i'm T. For those who saw
a possibility of Purcell being awarded
the twelfth. the situation was exciting,
for, they argued. IL Walter should win
the eighteenth the match would be all
square However. complications were
averted. Ford held his opponent to a
half in 4. and whichever way one looked
at II the Scottish American youngster
had the match.
Purcell on the Defensive.
An analysis of the play shows thai
most of the time Ford had Purcell or
the defensive. In the morning Joe wor
the fourth and sixth holes and was still
2 up at the seventh. On the eighth
Purcell sank fifteen foot putt to win
in to and on the ninth the Dun.
woodie representative squared through
Fords out of bounds tee shot. TIL,
tenth also went to Purcell. making hin
up. but Ford squared two holes further
| on. and never again during the match
did Purcell get the lead.