The New York herald., 1922-07-12
DUNCANs PUTTING POOR
Throws His Strokes Away on
Greens and Finishes
With a 151.
BY KERR N. PETRIE.

kicked from under IL, IL Is also q fact
that no man can win the u. S. G. A.
classic here this week who consistently
throws his strokes away on the green's
At the conclusion Of the British blue
ribbon event at Sandwich recently an
authority overseas loudly emphasized
the decadence of British putting. Yes
terday an American golf gallery saw
something Of the substance under
lying these remarks in the weak dis
play on the green's given by Abe
Mitchell. To-day in the second stanza
of the qualifying for the national open
championship it found that other and
otherwise brilliant member Of the in
vading duo. George Duncan, piling up
conclusive evidence that the British
critic was right.
Duncan never has been called a
notoriously bad putter. AS the British
stars go. he is, in fact, the most de-
pendable pillar, Of the once great
school, his work on the greens con-
sidered But this time George was
floundering misefably. and it is a fact
also that his trouble was psychological
rather than physical.
Heavier COuyse for Hagen.
Duncan was cut qualifying with
Walter Hagen. who holds the British
open title, and George finished his thirty
six holes just ten strokes behind the
home bred Hagen in this second divi-
sion assumed the role played on the
opening day by Jock Hutchison Of Glen
view. Walter had II and 10 for 14l.
whereas, the Chicagoan made 1t in 81
and 6S for 1875. But the ground was
quite a bit heavier for Walter. and, d,every-
thing considered. his performance was
not so very far behind that Of the
brilliant Jock in point of merit.
II golf were a game played only as
far as the putting green the enthusiasts
of the West. who trailed Duncan and
Hagen on theirsqualifying. would still
be arguing the merits of the case. But
was one sided In favor of the American.
Hagen had II and 10 for 141. Duncan,
rs and 76 for 151. Ten strokes thus
separated the pair who finished a shot
apart at Sandwich.
To the putting greens we must turn
for the answer. Hagen putted. Duncan
puttered. The invader started his days
work by playing the first three holes in
ten, one under par. He got four on the
fourth, then his troubles began. There
was casual water lots of II on the
greens. On the next four holes George
used up exactly thirteen puts. and
through no fault Of his own really. When
he hit the ball gently, thinking that the
green was fairly dry, his ball would
stick. Then he would satisfy himself
the next time that the rubber core re-
CURED the ''stick" as they say in our
set, and that ball would be, certain to
keep on running
Duncan Goes to Ruin.
Nv the time Duncan had got through
these thirteen puts he was ruined
man mentally and, let 1t be hoped, tenn
porarily He did get a at the ninth
for a 81 out, but his golf was easily
value for many shots under that figure.
Duncan hooked to a trap and scored a
for the tenth against Hagen's 8. Then
on the twelfth George saw his partner
hit a putt hard and fail to get near ths
cup. Taking his cue from this Duncan
smashed into his ball and overran the
mark by. half dozen feet. He had
found comparatively dry spot this
time. That hols cost him s.
On the next few holes Duncan made
no mistakes, but on the last two he
visited bunkers and finished with pair
OF fives for 75. Hagen took fours for
IL In the afternoon Duncan went out
IN IS, Hagen in "a. There was little
enough to choose between the pair here.
but starting the second nine Duncan
began another tragic run on the green's.
actual ytaking three puts to each of
the first five. Sometimes on These holes
Duncan was as close as fifteen feet
to begin with. With this milestone
about his neck the meteoric Briton re-
quired II for the last nine, while Hagen
was making 1t in &c.
Hagen seems to have that golfng
presence that Duncan lacks, or lacked
at least to-day. In the morning the
American used. a mashe on the greens
when he felt the turf the least bit
splashy. Over and above that he putted
really well, sometimes leaving himself
short or running n bit strong, but sell
dom failing to hole the next. 1t was
this knack OF holing out whatever the
difficulties of the situation that made
all tho difference.
Another Problem Presented.
In the afternoon the soft greens be-
gan to offer another problem. The
grass was hattened and the surface
helm marked around the cups never
theless Hagen went right along, seldom
taking an extra putt. His putting, in
fact, was that OF a champion and GER
tainiy there was little weak about the
rest Of the game. His cards:
MORNING ROUND.
in........... iH@'''.... 81 sSSs Es-7,
AFTERNOON ROUND.
Ont. Ia..... ~. sss tss s-ssss-7o-,4, s-ss
Magnificent team work between the
clerk of the weather and the u. s. @. A.,
aided and abetted by the officials of
Skokie. has effected complete trans
formation OF the course and has made 1t
abundantly clear that the seventy-two
holes Of the title play proper on Thurs
day and Friday will be run of under
conditions approximating those now pre-
vallIng In the East instead Of on ground
as nard az q sidewalk.
For the second night in succession
there has been downpour and this
morning, when the players began to line
~up in front OF the starters tent the
bright emerald green of the putting
strips had faded somewhat by compari-
son with the changed color scheme Of
the surrounding terrain. No longer did
vast alkali plain interspersed by these
bright oases greet the eye. Two nights
of moisture had done the trick and for