The New York herald., 1921-08-15
British Golfers Break
Jinx of TrdperS'S Putter
Duncan and Mitchell Defeat Former National Cham
pion and William M. Reekie and in Thirty
six Hole Match at Upper Montclar
by KERR N. PETRIE.

Two very interesting and pertinent re-
marks were made yesterday at the
Upper Montclair Country Club as an
outgrowth Of the thirty-six hole golf
match in which the British professional
pair-George Duncan and Abe Mitchell
defeated the amateur representatives
of the home club--Jerome d. Travers
and William NJ. Reekie--by up and
to play.
WELL" said Duncan as he left the
home green and entered the locker room,
"at last we have broken the hoodoo of
Jerome D. Travers and that wonderful
putter of his"
second or so later Reekie Joined
Duncan in the locker room. The former
New Jersey amateur champion had been
scanning the score card: what do you
know about that" said he, Jerome and
come back in 81 and we cannot win
O hole"
And these two remarks fairly well
epitomize the match. which was a mag
nificent one in every way and remark
able for these two facts--the low scor-
ing and the battering down of the jinx
which. riding around on the celebrated
Schenectady putter. had cost Duncan
and Mitchell the only two matches which
they have lost in the twenty they have
played since beginning their tour Of
American links.
1t is only fair to Max Marston Of
Merton Cricket Club. Philadelphia. and
w. w. Patten of Mohawk. Schenectady.
to interpollate that these two amateurs.
In partnership with Travers. had lot
to do with the only black marks which
stand against George and Abe. Still.
Duncan entered yesterdays match with
that mallet headed wizards wand in his
minds eye. For George had remarked OF
Travers: Il cannot remember ever hav-
ing seen a man who looked so much as
If he were to hole puts as does Travers.
He Is dangerous every time"
A Formidable GoIhng Machine.
In this Upper Montclair match Jerome
waved that "crutch" of his around on
the greens with great effect. His wiz
ardry occasionally had Duncan looking
trifle more solemn than usual. Reekie
also performed prodigies both with his
putter and his approaching irons, but
the fact of the matter is that Duncan
and Mitchell. with the practice which
they are getting together welding them
more and more into one of the most
formidable golflng machines the world
has ever known, put up brand OF play
that refused to accept may" for an an
swer. AS proof of this witness the re-
mark of Reekie: I'VE came home In 81
and yet couldn't win a hole"
Upper Montclair is much on the plan
Of Scarsdale, with holes of the drive and
pitch order predominating. Such should
make a dangerous layout for team OF
the calibre of Duncan and Mitchell.
Reekie and Travers have 1t down pat
They can be relied on to go around in
a best bali of SIS or thereabouts. This In
any event Is what they twice did yester-
day. The first 65 held the British pros
even, but in the afternoon Duncan and
Mitchell bettered even the 65 and II was
this little bit held up their sleeve for
emergencies that gave them the victory.
To be exact. George and Abe showed
n SO on the second round--32 out and
81 home, as against the "a and 81 of
their opponents. On the first round the
amateurs were 32 TO the turn and 33
back, while the professionals had these
figures reversed.
Believing in the axiom. Strike while
the iron Is hot" Travers and Reekie got
the jump on their opponents as they
were cropping their way around an un-
familiar course. They had them down
before they had gone more than six
holeS. ReeKie IL WAS WHO dcCoilPisHeu
this feat with a string Of three consec-
utive brides. beginning with a at
the fourth, where he sank a twelve foot
putt. The former New Jersey title
holder was welding his mashie-niblick
at this stage as effectively as Travers
does his Schenectady when in the mood.
At the turn Duncan and Mitchell had
recovered two Of these holes, both get
ting down In at the 535 yard seventh
and Mitchell sinking twenty-five foot
putt for q at the eighth. On the
twelfth, however. Reekie stuck another