New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-07
English Stars Score Over
American Pair in Close
Battle at Grassy Sprain
BY Ray Mccarthy

y
phenom from England, and his noted
partner, George Duncan, former Brit
ish, open champion, returned to this
section yesterday after tour of the
West and began another winning
streak The British stars helped the
members of the Grassy Sprain Club
celebrate the formal opening Of this
100000 course in best ball exhibit
tion match against Jim Barnes, ma
tional open champion, and the speedy
little George Mclean. professional of
the Grassy Sprain Club.
After hard struggle of thirty-six
holes, in which the American team
made fine effort to come back on the
last half, the foreigners won out by
score of | up.
Other features of the day were the
to keep everybody in good humor, and
and diversified gallery of more than
1000 links fans that engaged in a
grand hill and dale race that would
have made an intercollegiate competi-
ton seem like stroll in the parkway.
Only one casualty was reported.
One fellow standing on the fairway
of the sixteenth hole in his eagerness
to view the proceedings failed to draw
in his Uranium at the command, and
George Duncan's drive, falling grace
fully, landed plum upon his bare
head. He was game, though. and took
UP the chase with the others after the
seconds had been played. They may
talk about the science of golf, but
watching a match is getting to be far
game ever was.
Low Scores Impossible
But to return to the details of the
combat itself. 1t was interesting and
spectacular all the way, and while the
play of the contestants was not record
breaking it was none the less enjoy
able. The condition Of the course
made low scoring almost impossible,
although both Of the Britons and Nc
Lean bettered par in the morning. But
Grassy Sprain, like the Pelham Club
course, has just been completed, and is
hardly ready for championship COM
petition.
All things considered, the course was
in exceptionally fine condition. These
links, like those at Pelham, have been
carved out of woods and heavy foliage,
and, winding in and out Of the trees
and between valleys, they present a
wonderfully picturesque playground.
evenness of the green's Or because of
poor putting, the fact remains many
short taps failed to go down. Barnes
was particularly unfortunate in this
respect in the afternoon, and with a
couple of breaks in this department the
Americans might have won out. At the
ninth hole Barnes had a chance for q
win, but the ball, after rolling half
way into the tin, bounced out again.
George Mclean was the hero of the
morning round. Playing in top form,
he had the best ball for his side, the
Pelham Prince being slightly off his
game. But McLean's II wasn't good
enough to hold in check the Britons,
who were teaming we'll. Their best
ball card of 81 sufficed to leave them
three holes to the good at the end of
the round.
Barnes Comes to Life
Barnes came to life in the afternoon,
but on this round it was the Grassy
Sprain star himself who slipped, so
that Long Jim had to go it alone prac-
tically. Still he played we'll enough SO
that with the help he did get from his
partner he was able to cut the lead of
his opponents to one. However, the
advantage Duncan and Mitchell had
earned on the first round proved too
much to overcome.
Speaking of Barnes and his after
noon round it is worth noting this
fellow was hitting a tremendously long
may have the edge on them all, but
he had nothing on the American cham
pion in the afternoon. The Pelham
pro was beyond his sturdy adversary
on several of the holes and up with
him on the mai ority of the eighteen.
In talking of long hitters, let nobody
overlook the recent winner of the
United States title.
Holes were halved on the afternoon
round until the fourth was reached.
Here Barnes got off terrific brassie
clout from out Of the rough that car
ried all the way to the green. AS we
strobe along the fairway with him he
remarked: "That was one Of the best
shots I ever made in my life" 1t en-
abled him to get bird four and win
the hole.
Mclean came through with fine
putt for bird three on the eighth that
gave his side another hole and left the
Britons only one up. The Americans
lost this advantage, though, at the
! tenth, where they got into trouble all
the way up the fairway, while Duncan,
taking the shortest route home, got a
bird four to win the hole.
There were no more wins from then
on until the sixteenth green was
reached. There Barnes, after playing
we'll up to the pin, holed fine putt
for a win. Mitchell also had putt
for four, but slipped up. Duncan
and Mitchell managed to halve the next
two holes, though. Barnes made fine
try at the seventeenth on his approach
putt, but didn't quite get up to the
hole.
The cards: