The New York herald., 1922-10-23
Al WALKER, JR., IS
GOLF FINAL VICTOR
Defeats T. d. Conroy 5 and 4
for Staten Island Cham
pionship.
BY KERR n. PETRIE.

by KERR n. PETRIE.
w. II. Follett stood on the slopes of
the Fox Hills links yesterday afternoon
meditauvely biting his briar pipe and
ever and amen blowing clouds of smoke
toward scene of activity below. where
he knew the glory was slowly but GER
tainiy passing away from his home
club OF Fox Hills to the rival organiza-
ton over at New Dvrp, known as the
Richmond County Country Club. Fol-
lett felt something like Napoleon at the
end of his career, his armies slowly
scattering before defeat. Last year
Pipe had been the champion of
Staten Island. He had lost to A. Lucien
Walker. Jr., of Richmond County in an
early round this year, and as he gazed
down below he saw Walker carrying the
last rampant of the home defenses as
he steadily carved out victory over
Thomas d. Conroy by 5 up and TO
play.
Walker formerly was intercollegiate
champion, and In 1919 he was both
nedalist and runner-up in the metro
rolitan amateur held that year at
Rrooklawn, Bridgeport. Conn. The win
n'ng OF the Staten Island title brought
no new sensations to him. Follett real
lied all this and gave a thought TO the
ceeded him as champion. Nevertheless
the grizzled Fox Hills veteran could
scarcely restrain tear as he thought of
what might have been had he fought a
winning fight instead of a losing one
when he had Walker as an opponent.
Folletts briar sank upon his chest and
OILY the smell of burning broke his
rGvere
"Ah. WELL" he said as he scotched the
srnoldering embers and turned from the
scene Of sadness, Walker at least is a
worthy champion
Morning Play Is Close.
The pedigree of Walker having been
given, save for where 1t carries the
golfer to scenes of success in the North
and South championship at Pinehurst, 1t
Is in order to turn the focus upon this
final, in which. after a layoff of three
years, the Richmond County star came
hack into his own. Conroy, who led
the qualifying field home, held his own
over the first round. but never did re-
gain that single hole which the Rich
nond County man brought in with him
at the luncheon hour.
Conroy probably considered himself
fortunate not to be~ieaving off at the
halfway notch at least two to the bad.
2e outplayed Walker all the way with
TIE second for the home hole, laying his
Dali within six feet of the cup, while
the Richmond County representative re-
qrired three puts.
In this round Walker had more three
putt green's than he knew what to do
with. Six times in all he had to count
the extra stroke, while on one green he
had actually to try four times before
getting the ball into the cup. This was
the handicap with which he started the
day. for he had 6 at the first. al
though he reached the green in two.
Then at the second hole he had three
puts. Conroy won both of these holes.
but this was not greatly surprising.
With his seven puts thus early Walker
was scarcely entitled to as much as
one half
From the second to the eighth Walker
was less profligate of his shots on the
green. However, on this eighth he again
had an extra one. Coming in he had
three puts on the eleventh. fifteenth
and home greens. He had a card of II,
and Al or AZ of these were puts
Lays Approaches Dead.
But while there is no question that
Walker wasted the shots on the greens
he several times laid his approaches up
close enough to enable him to hole out
In one shot more. He dropped his ball
within two feet of the cup at the sew
enth, but Conroy nullified this move by
holing a twenty foot putt. Again on the
fourteenth the Richmond County player
laid the rubber core within two feet of
the mark and scored a birdie.
On the Helfs Kitchen $50 yard fif-
teenth Walker was on the edge of the
green with his second. but by taking
three puts he allowed his opponent to
claim half.
With Conroy falling off slightly i'm his
play II was not long before Walker had
the championship ready TO be shipped
over to Richmond County The former
Columbia team captain won the second.
fifth, sixth and seventh TO stand up.
The sixth he carried off despite a sty-
me A capital gave Conroy the ninth,
and the Fox Hills player even carried
the rally on to the tenth, which he an
nexed with 4.
At the eleventh Walker once more
took command, and he made 1t dormie
5 at the thirteenth A half at the four
teenth transferred the championship
from Fox Hills to Richmond County.
The card:
MORNING ROUND.