The New York herald., 1922-08-13
HAGEN WILL NOT DEFEND
British Open Titlcholder Too
Busy With Exhibitions to
Tee Up at Pittsburgh.
BY KERR n. PETRIE.


tion which is to be decided from Mon
day to Saturday OF this week at the
Oakmont Country Club of Pittsburgh.
This event is the only all match play
classic of the year for the salaried
brigade. and holds place in American
golf similar to that occupied by the
News of the World tourney in the
British professional calendar.
Since its inception in 1916 the p. G. A,
championship has called for thirtytwo
professionals to qualify for the final
stages This time there are to b.
double that number in the field. AS ar
attraction. therefore, the meeting should
rank high. almost as high. IN fact. as
the national open at Skokie, for here,
instead of every one being out for HIM
self the tourney from the start takes on
that man-to-man aspect and from =
series of elimination bouts resolves
itself finally into a struggle OF the
giants.
The private golfing' enterprises OF
Walter Hagen will interfere with this
celebrity defending the title which nc
so brilliantly won last year at Inwood.
Also there will be no international ele-
ment to the contest at Oakmont, but
with Gene Sarazen, Jim Barnes. Jock
Hutchson. Johnny Farrell. Tommy
Kerrigan, Bob Macdonald Harry
Hampton Emil Loeffler. Mike Brady
Leo Diegel. Willie Melhorn and a host
OF other stars the tourney certainly
holds out lot of promise.
- Barnes Won Mt Siwanoy.
1t Is interesting to recall the part that
Jim Barnes has played in the f. G.. A..
championship since its inception. Jim
was the winner of the first event held
in 1916 at Swanoy. On that occasion he
beat Jock Hutchison with his last putt
in the thirty-six hole final after
Hutchison had accounted for Hagen.
There was no tournament in 1917 and
1918. Then in 1919 it was resumed at
Flossmoor. the pros" moving over to
the Chicago course from the national
open championship at Toledo Barnes
was stale at Flossmoor and he went
down early. The following year. how
over. he again annexed the title. defeat
Ing Fred M'Leod OF Washington in the
final at the Engineers Country CLUB.
And last year Barnes played through
the tournament as far as the final and
only was subdued by the brilliance OF
the golf exhibited by Hagen.
so far the +. &. \. championship has
been held four times. Interesting It is
to reflect that as far as the chief
honors are concerned II has been
monopoH2ed by tho big Three, =
Barnes, Hutchison and Hagen. I'm the
order of their successes. Hutchsou
carried off the title at Flossmoor, his
opponent in the last thrty-six holes
being the late j. Douglas Edgar.
One more illuminating sdelight Is
that Walter, Jock and Jim have figured
as six of the eight fnalists. Barnes
beat Hutchison in the first meet, and
was beaten by Hagen in the fourth.
That leaves only two tournaments to
be accounted for In these Hutchison
and Barnes won from Edgar and
MiLeod respectively. And it also is
worth while recalling that in these last
mentioped two tournaments Hagen did
not pEy. Had he done so it is quite
probable that the final of the =. G.. A.
championship to date would have beon
a. complete monopoly for the Big Three.
If for nothing else than the appear
ance of Gene Sarazen the championship
this time is to be we'll worth while.
About month ago Gene brought HON
to the city of his adoption the national
open championship. He will be playing
over fairly familiar ground this time
and he will have the moral support of
the vast majority of Pittsburgh links
men. This support should begin to
manifest itself in enthusiasm IL Sarazen
should do well enough to hold out the
promise OF victory.
Would Estnb bIish Record.
Such success would establish a
record. since to date no one has sue
ceeded In winning the national open and
the professional championship the same
year. However. Barnes was holding
the T.. g. A. emblem when he annexed
the open championship cup last year
Both Hutchison and Hagen held the
American professional title when they
won the British championship. There
is thus an added incentive for Sarazen
IN the play at Oakmont.
Instead of only four good rounds of
golf this time the winner will be asked
practically to play thirty-six holes at a
fast clip every day for week. Even
par golf will not always suffice. such are
the cxigcncies of match play. Whether
Sarazen can outlast and outgame a
f,eld such as this remains to be seen.
lie has played several matches of late
where the brand of golf exhibited has
not been OF the highest. A single round
! the slightest bit off color may easily
throw the national open champion into
the discard.
Rut on the other hand Sarazen may
easily produce the golf that will carry
Kim all the way through. Gene has not
altogether lost confidence in his own
ability. Nor Is that confidence likely to
be shattered by the knowledge that last
year at Inwood he defeated Jock Hutch
.son. tho holder. by up and to play.
or the remembrance of the > and de-
feat which he administered to Jim
Barnes week ago In a thrty-slx hole
match at Homestead Country Club.
II he is putting Sarazen will be able
10 look after himself. Barnes on the
other hand needs more than putting to
strengthen his hand, according to the
way he has been playing the last few
weeks. Jim did not get going at SkolSie
and IL almost looks as IL the machine
still Is out OF gear. judging by that
Homestead display From this New
Jersey course Jim was hooking and
slicinr time about and when he did get
away a good one from the tee he squan-
dcred his opportunities through poor
Judgment with his approaches.
In discussion of Barnes the 6ther
day some one was heard to remark that
Jim was Through" But the Pelham
man has been through" before. For
instance, he was through" at Floss
moor and he came back the next spring
to win the national open. He was sup
posed to be Through" last year when
Hagen defeated him in the T.. G.. A.
nnal and he was within shot OF tying
Walter this year for the British cham
pionishp.