New-York tribune., 1922-02-19
Tales OF a Wayside Te
Bv GRANII-ANn PEE
jRANTLAND RICE
Cos:'r.sh'. ss-Z. Ncw Tor.- ---s'ha-s 1ac

1Ates, o. ~o-c.tor, water liasc..
NAich mesr- r4a. suca eu.inen.
sen.usos as J::n barnes ard Jocs
E3utcAisoa, open tile holders. viii soon
iiud their path b.cc..ed b. thc Home
viii clear the way. Last ycac a. this
date. o. shortly afterUard. Jock and
jim had TIE Southern vyl0t,- situation
pretty we'll i naNl, with jock complete
maSte" Of the scene when J in was
sryMied by q fock O. 1ctiila of car-
burc'es. Later Joci; moved ON to the
heights o. the British open while jim,
drlfted easily TO the crest Of the Amer
lean open, with Hagen st:ll struggling
notch or two behind.
But with 1922 unfolding its scroll
and screen there is q gathering belief
t1at Hagen will be one OF G moss
formiGable entries IN thc big field, With
me chance to regain (. large slice
Of his old prestige.
About Due?
Hagen, the Hon1ebred to pic. IN
where Jack McDermott left off. became
open champion Of the United States
in 1914.
lie repeated at Brae Burn In 1918.
Now ne is getting an early start to 90
after everything in sight, and if he car
pick UP where he left off last fail he
wiil DO close to unbeatable
Hagen. always a fine putter, collapsed
in this respect from March to August
last year and it was not until late sum
.aer that he found his old touch.
After that he was unbeatable.
For a waile, for several months in
.act, ne had no confidence in himself
when Il came TO holiAg u three or four
foot putt
We Saw him miss as many as three
or four of these in row where The
rest OF his game was as Aawless as
ever.
He finally worked himself out Of this
depressing situation around August,
and the change made al the difference
IN the world.
the greatest golfers in the world when
he settles down to playing the game.
tie has unusual stamina ard physi-
cal power: He can get fine distance
with wood and iron without great ef-
tort. He has both determination and
confidence and is never beaten. In fact,
there is no one who has finer tenn
permanent for match or medal play.
Hagen is always willing to take
chance and he has no fear OF trouble
where he frequently seems 80 be st
his best
He can play astonishing shots out
OF heavy places, whether it be sand
or grass. And the fact that he is four
or five strokes behind never bothers
him when he is playing his game.
Star Homebred
hagen is undoubtedly the greatest
OF all the Homebreds, pro or amateur,
when 1t comes to a combination of
stroke making, experience and tourna-
ment temperament.
AS Alex Smith puts IL: "He is the
only golfer of them all who goes after
a golf ball as John L. Sullivan went
after an opponents jaw"
He has a wonderful way of letting
his right shoulder follow into the stroke
which brings about combination OF
power and grace, Of forward speed and
rhythm.
He is also a fine iron player, un-
doubtedly the finest Of the lot when
it comes to a long shot home from
close lie or from heavy going. He has
never had the mastery Of the low
pitch and run which Jim Barnes carries
in his bag On a windy day Barnes,
trained early on British seaside courses
would have an advantage in this re-
spect. Yet Hagen has control of an
extensive repertoire that most of the
time will be sufficient to pull him
along.
While Hagen is now Western open
and professional champion, he is keen
to regain his old place as open cham
pion, with weather eye also adjusted
on thc British Open where last s,,r,recr