The Washington herald., 1922-12-05

campaigns.
Golf is full Of such.
Some were played by champi
crowns were won or saved.
And many were played by medi-'
ocre players. who now and then can
pull off a stroke that would make
Joe Kirkwood's eyeballs pop out.
The game is fairly dotted with
average players quite content when
they break 100 who have made their
allotted hole-in-one. And the most
terrible of all buffers can look back
through the year upon at least one
or two marvellous happenings that
he never expected to take place.
TTTLE-WINNING STROKES.
1t fell to the lot OF both Sarazcn
and Sweetser to make a certain
brilliant shot at criticsl moment
before they were safely through.
In Sarazen's case it was his last
full shot to the last green at Skokie.
green 4S0 yards from tire tee, on
an upland plateau, well trapped
Only long, straight brassie shot
from a slightly hanging lie would
get him home for his needed 4,
against lar of D.
He must have known at that
stage, with SO many stars pressing
him so closely. that his chance hung
upon that final effort Yet he
struck the ball with complete conf
dence, and the ball. in turn. seemed
for a short moment or so as if II
were going to hit the Din. 240 yards
away. 1t could hardly have gone
more than foot to the right or left
as il finally slipped a few Yards by
The slightest mistake here would
have left him tied with Bobb!e Jones
and John Black for the play-off, 81
play-Off that would have been the
most dramatic occasion in American
golf.
SWEETSER'S BEST EFFORT.
The finest stroke. all things con-
sidered. that Jesse Sweetser played
at Brookline was against Chick"
Evans at the thirteenth hole in the
afternoon. Few who saw that per
formance will ever forget it, and
among these is c. Evans himself.
Sweetser had been attempting to
shake Evans loose all day. here and
there getting jump which he
found hard to hold or to extend.
Ii was nearing the end Of a long
weeks grind, where the strain at
last begins to beat down with heavy
force.
Coming to the thirteenth hole that
afternoon. Sweetser, as we recall il
was up. with to play. This
green was well trapped on all sides.
where mistakes were easy to make.
Evans stepped up for his second
and with fine iron shot laid the
ball just six feet from the cup. hole
high, with 3 in sight. II he
won this hole he would be only
down. with five INTRICATE holes left
in which to catch the younger
player.
1t was a tough spot for any one
TO face after that white hall had
come to rest so close against the
pin, but, in place of weakening,
Sweetser took his time and planted
his own shot just three feet from
the cup. winning hole that look
ed all against him. That was the
stroke that did the business.
OTHER STAR EFFORTS.
1t was in that same tourney that
DODpit ooiiNS anu NNIh lOIlpN dC-
complished two masterpieces.
When Jones and Sweetser came
to the second hole in the forenoon.
a drive and pitch affair, Sweetser
holed his approach for 9.
That was astonishing enough.
Jones. who watched the ball trickle
into the cup. went back. got his
line carefully and pitched dead on
- At
The ball struck ten feet short,
pulled up with backspin and rolled
dead on the tin to within six inches
of the cup. The effort went to
| waste, as the eagle beat the
| birdie '3, but the fact that Jones
knew he had to hole an eighty
then have him come so close to the
miracle must always be remembered
by those around the green.
RECOVERED ON STYMIE.
There was the case, also. Of Wal.
| ter Hagen's stymie recovery against
Abe Mitchell in their thirty-sfx hole
match over the Westchester-Bilt
more course. In this case Hagen's
| ball was three feet away. with
Mitchelrs dead in line on the lip
| of the cup. There was no chance
to get around and there was no
| chance from three feet to pitch
over Mitchell's ball and hold the
cup. So Hagen, with rare nerve
and skill. took. the one chance left
pitching Just back of Mitchell's
hall, and then jumping it on the
| first bound trick shot that
| Hagen had learned from Kirkwood
but one that only the steadiest OF
| nerves could control in such a sit.
uatiop, For this ball had to be
pitchh to the right spot withiu- the
space of an inch. alWaya with the