The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-07
BOBBY JONES' VICTORY WAS
 NO SURPRISE, SAYS HAGEN
By WALTER HAGEN Former American and British Open
 (hnmninn

OnampfOn
 Someone dropped the remark with in my hearing recently that Bobby Jones was a great surprise in the recent open championship. We golf CTS do not think that his winning was flukc by any means. One day at the Inwood club I heard of a book being made on the players and I was anxious tc find out just how the odds were laid
 Bobby Jones was quoted at some thing like 25 to l. which was a great surprise to me, and immediately wanted to know just how the odds were figured out. Here was young Jones contender from the very first day, because of his remarkable showing at Skokie last year I asked if this fact had been overlooked, but was told that last year was another tournament and that this year Jones could not hope to keep his game on such high plane.
 Learned Under Vardon.
 Jones always has a chance in high class golf competition. When he played with Harry Vardon three years ago at Inverness the famous British golfer was very much inn pressed with Bobby's golf. Vardon cd me that he was the finest anna teur player that he had ever had the ] $. L, too. l had not at that time seen a great al of Jones' play, but since then l have had the opportunity of seeing Bobby perform. and perform in such a way as to lead me to be- lieve that he is all if not more than Vardon said about him.
 As a stylist he has no equal. This comes from learning his game early in life and acquiring good form willie very young. I have been told tfat Bobby has been playing golf almost 20 years and he is only a lad of 21 now. This may be exaggerat- ing it a little bit. but the fact ts Jones was able to handle golf club in some sort of fashion almost as soon as he was able to walk around nine holes. Stewart Maiden brought Jones out, and there was no more interested spectator at Inwood than Stewart, who followed Bobby every step of the way and was keenly in- terested in seeing him land the big title.
 Expert Teachins \ Big Factor.
 Expert teaching has been a big help in the making of the new cham pion. l often wonder how so many golfers play the game without any is very necessary if one is going to get very far. Even ir one takes on.y enough lessons to learn the rudi- ments of the game he Is far better off than the player who tries to work this out for himself. Jones rad the advantage of learning from the ground up and, at the tender age of 6. knew how to handle a golf club in an intelligent manner. When 10 he could score close to so and when 14 he was a match for any golfer in tke country.
 Bobby i4ssessed with one of the best swingstn the game. His style is all that could be desired and with perfect timing he obtains 2 very long ball. I know of no player In the country who is farther down the course than Jones. All of thls Is great aid to scoring. as it leaves lit- tie to do. In the play-off at Inwood. to 30 yards ahead of Cruikshank on every tee shot. One expert who kept tab remarked that Jones was never forced to play the odd and this is a tremendous advantage for anyone.
 There Is nothing weak about his iron club play. He hits the ball with a firm crisp stroke that he71eaks professional training and coaching. His putting is perhaps not as bril- liant as other departments of ais game. but he manages to make it do. would not rate him as one of the leaders in this department. but Jones Is by no means q poor butter. His game blends together well and he manages to get around in figures close to par in every start. cannot conceive of him playing a really bad game at any time.