The New York herald., 1922-07-11
HUTCHINSON LOWERS
QUALIFYING RECORD
His 135 for SO Holes Betters
Title Standard by Six
Strokes.
MIKE BRADY TURNS IN 143
Mitchell and Barnes Are Tied
at 144-Rain Improves
, Conditions.
BY KERR N. PETRIE.

Two nights ago in the lobby of Chi.
cago hotel a group Of professionals
were discussing the subject nearest
and dearest to their hearts-the ma
tional open championship which began
to-day on the links of the Skokie
Country Club. They were representa-
tive Of the golfing centers Of the coun-
try and each one had a little to say on
the prospects of his particular section
when it came to question of picking
the logical winner.
A lanky fellow lounging In an arm
chair listened interestedly to the con-
versation. He was from Pittsburgh.
where Jock Hutchison once was To-
Gated. There came lull and the
lanky fellow got his chance. Say
boys" he remarked. there is only one
golfer In this Tournaments, to my way
Of thinking. His name is Jock the
Hutch. Skokie suits him. Just watch
him, will you!"
All agreed that they would pay at
tention to the words of wisdom. Pos
sibly they recalled the speech vividly
this afternoon after Hutchison had
finished his qualifying thirty7six holes
with the first Of the three divisions.
This Man o. War of the links, winner
last year Of the British championship,
added unmistakably to his reputation
by reeling off two wonderful rounds Of
81 and 68 and shattering all existing
qualifying records for national cham
~pionship golf with his aggregate Of 1885,
Six Strokes Under Record. .
Hutchison also beat the record of the
Skoki course hands down. He was so
far aheal of the hitherto best competi-
tive mark that no one bothered to look
It up. 1t is known, however. that Abe
Mitchell Of England made the low card
of SO when he was here with George
Duncan last year. The old qualifying
mark In national open championship
play Is easier to find. Hutchison had
that himself with his SO and ~ scored
at Toledo two years ago. Jock. there
fore, shattered the record by half dozen
strokes.
No one who saw him start down the
hill from the first hole this morning ex-
pected that the Glenview man was about
to launch such a devastating attack upon
the fordes of general par. Jock opened
with one of those lame drives that make
the all look as IL It were thoroughly
ashamed of itself The rubber core
foundered down into the long grass on
the gentle slope Of the hill, skipped and
bumped little and then dropped out Of
sight.
Hutchson went after II and banged 1t
with spoon. He got clear, well down
the fairway. the rough at this particular
spot being thin and sickly. There still
was long spot to the green. This time
Hutchison used an iron. He sliced to a
trap. Playing out of the sand in four,
he holed out in two puts more, taking
for the hole.
Some Of the best horses require urging.
This was the spur applied 20 Jock He
dropped his ball nicely on the green of
the 1913 yard second and holed out for
his par g. He got par at the third and
then sank a9ne long putt for a birdie at
the fourth. Hutchison by now had over
come his dizzy spell. He was thoroughly
convalescent-
80 For the First Mine.
Jock got his par at the SEQ yard
III
chiped in from the edge of the green.
The seventh. of 215 yards. was bad value
at 4. but Jock made up for this by holtl-
ing the 435 yard eighth In g. A 4 at the
short ninth gave the Chicago man 81 for
The first nine. a great score considering
the foundation upon which 1t was built.
BY this time Hutchison could feel
the battle lust IN his blood. He had
played himself In. His hand was steady
nd 1,te l. Ia H.
outgoing par OF 80 and he was out to
better 1t coming in. The tenth hole is
fairly stiff 4. Heretofore 1t has not
been so difficult. but storm which
broke about o'clock in the morning and
soaked the course until 8 o'clock letting
up about half an hour before the first
of the contestants teed up. changed the
aspect completely. In addition, a stiff
wind had sprung up. Hutchison held
his here and followed with another 4
at the eleventh. which Is 430 yards.
Skolie at this point presents an array
OF holes to which the experts look for
ward hopefully when they are doing
badly The twelfth Is 345 yards, the
thirteenth 1s5 yards, the fourteenth ais
yards, the fifteenth $40 yards and the
sixteenth 1855 yards.
Jock brought his deadly mashie into
action. He required at the twelfth.
but he got string OF three consecu-
tive 3s after that and then at the
sixteenth. The seventeenth. Of 43o
yards. and the eighteenth. of 470 yards
Hutchlson holed in 4 each. so that he
left off with n record round of 81, made
not from the front tees. and on a course
as hard as flint. but from the back
tees. under championship conditions and
much softened, course.
Rain Makes a Difference.
Walking around this morning. George
Duncan voiced the opinion that the rain
which had come after a six weeks
drought. had made It easier In some re-
spects. There we're not the same tre-
mendous reaches from the tee. but the
ground held" Such a condition has
not existed here since the players began
to gather for the classic.
II was refreshing to fin1 the turf
squashing under foot. That rain GER
tainly made a wonderful difference. II
was almost providential. considering how
II rained, when II started and the man.
ner and time Of Its coming. Another
such sprinkling and everything will bs
about right for the championship seven.
ty-two holes.
It might have been thought that
Hutchison would have suffered under tho
changed conditions. It lost him distance
as IL did every one else. The greens
were no better than they had been. Bu
Jock went out again In the afternoon Il
prove there was no catch or nuke abou
his performance. This time he startct
with .. Altogether he had three 81