Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-07-22
JAMES N. BARNES
LEADS GOLFERS
IN FIRST ROUND
Score For First Thirty-Six
Holes Shows Average Of
One Stroke Over Par For
Each Nine Holes.

Washington, July 21.--James NJ.
Barnes, the professional from the
Pelham Country club. led an ex-
reptionally high class field Of golf
ers with a score of 144 strokes at
the close of the first day of the
twenty-sixth national open golf
Championship over the course Of
the Columbia Country club.
Barnes score for the full thirty
Six holes showed an average of one
stroke over par for each nine holes,
or total of four over par for the
days play. His 144 was also three
under the score of the first days
card turned in by Ted Ray of Eng
land, winner of the 1920 champion
ship. The difference was partly
due to the shorter yardage of the
local course as compared with the
Inverness course at Toledo.
Four strokes back Of Barnes
came Charles R. Murray of the
Royal Golf Club of Montreal, and
Fred Mcleod, the local club pro-
fessional who tied with score of
14S. Fourth place was held by
Robert 7. Jones, Jr., of Atlanta.
The youthful southern amateur
with his 149 led four contestants
in the $50 class, after which the
field aligned itself in groups, rang
ing In numerical order from 151
made by Charles Evans of the
Edgewater club of Chicago, ma
tional amateur champion to jim
Donnachie with a total of 1871.
Long Jim Barnes is playing his
way to what is generally consider
ed commanding position in the
struggle for the championship, and
today showed a brand Of almost
perfect golf.
But he must maintain the same
high standard tomorrow in order
to make sure of the prize. Never
in his titular hunt for an open
championship has he led at the end
of thirty-six holes.
Due to an unverified score on
one of the holes, Barnes position
this afternoon was jeopardized.
The United States Golf association
committee ruled that he was not
in any way to blame for the slight
infraction Of the rules and merely
added an additional stroke to his
score.
Charles r. Murray and Fred NC
Leod, who are closely trailing
barnes turned card of 75-7S--14S,
and 74-74-14S, respectively. NC
Leod putted excellently today ana
knowing the course like book
might easily shoot a 6S or SO to-
morrow, which would place him
alongside the leader.
Murray, the former Canadian
champion holder, also played ex-
cellent golf, his iron shots being
particularly good, although he had
occasional trouble in getting down
puts. He is considered the dark
horse of the first five.
Bobby Jcnes, If he should play
golf of the type displayed in the
first nire kCles of the afternoon
round when he did thirty-three--
two under par, has an excellent
chance to PLACE among the leaders.
Jones, who attracted the largest
gallery Of the tournament today
was extremely weak on the first
nine holes, which he did in 40. dc
Improved on the homeward nine OF
the forenoon, and played really
phenomenal golf on his outward
tour after lunch. Coming back ne
was one under par UP to the ak
teanth hole, one over on the SIX
tecnth and seventeenth, ana IN.
tshod with a rar four. He showed
a lash Of his temperament on tie
seventeenth WREN he missed a short
putt.
Clarence Hackney. of Atlantic
City, Alex. smith. of New London;
Louis Teller, ftrmer French cham
pion, Of West Newton, Mass. and
George Duncan formed the quar-
tst with the $50 score. National
amateur champion, "Chick" Evans,
is expected by many of the experts
to do better than ISL In tomorrow
round, and some have placed rs
second days score close to 144. lie
was a little erratic on the greens
today but was otherwise up to his
usual standard. Evans Is clnsned
among the players who still have
an excellent chance for the cham
picnship,