The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-16

Joe Kirk wood go. ~ 70 50 7S-2sS
l. II. ternie ....... 20 IS IA 1890
g. A Whitecombe. 70 rs "a $500
I Iepr Duncan Iun,, 80. 70 Is = 1902
Between 10000 and $4,000 spec
tators, many of them from lands over
the seas, watched the last two rounds
or the competition. Fully two-tbirds
or them kept their eyes on Hagen in
the last hour of his gallant struggle
ing him by two strokes when thev
went out after lunch for the last IL
holes. &c
Each took SO to reach the turn at
me ninth hole, the outward journey
pelng made with strong wind be-
nina the Dali and clear sky over
head. Hagen missed a tiny 12-inch
putt at the ninth. so he still was two
strokes behind Havers, with only
nine more holes to go. Then he be-
gan his real battle; but he had
dropped even farther behind at the
eleventh; for he got that hole in par,
while Havers slipped his ball into
the cup for birdie three.
Hagen Fights Hard.
BY the time Hagen had reached the
eleventh green, however, Havers had
tapped his final putt into the home
hole, so that the champion knew ex
jactly how hard a task lay ahead of
MIN over seven holes and into the
wind A three at the fourteenth.
where Havers had taken a four help
ed Hagen along a little but 1t was
at the sixteenth the American made
the first of two inspiring attempts
to do the impossible and almost sue
cesded-
His third shot to that hole-made
longer by the heavy facing winds
had dropped into the crowds stand
ing on the round grass covered
ground guarding the green. Hagen
made a marvellous effort to sink
chip shot off that mound. The ball
went into the air, landed on the
green and rolled straight for the cup.
1t seemed the impossible was going
to be accomplished, but the ball went
straight over the cup and rested a
lew inches away.
So Hagen had to be satisfied with
a perfect par five instead of a mi
raculous birdie four.
Hagen now needed threes at both
the seventeenth, which Is short
hole, and the eighteenth, which is a
par four, to tie Havers. His drive
off the seventeenth landed IN the
rough several yards off the side of
the high table-like green. He pitch
ed perfectly and sank his first putt
for the required three. Now these
remained his last hope-that of get
ting a birdie three on the eighteenth,
an accomplishment Hagen had &C
complished only yesterday.
o O 0
second In bunker.
Hagen sent a terrific drive down
the fairway, but his second shot,
wind. landed in bunker. Surely
1t was all over now. But the crowd
that had seen Hagens desperate and
determined effort to sink his chip
shot at the sixteenth knew he would
make another attempt to perform
the almost impossible-to get out of
bunker and into the cup ten yards
away with one shot He did make
the attempt. and 1t was another good
one.
For long time the champion
studied the green and then the
bunker where the ball lay. Finally
he hit the ball 1t rose over the high
grass 1t rolled in u direct line for
the hole but it stopped one yard
short Of 1t. All was over. Hagen had
lost his title and Great Britain and
recaptured the trophy. 1t mattered
not what Hagen did with his one
yard putt; but nevertheless he sank
for four.
A few of the spectators forgetful
of strict golf etiquette, could not rs-
strain from applauding Hagen's fail
ure to find the cup with his shot
out of the sand. 1t might have I'M
nerved another man but 1t did not
phase the American who calmly
played out the game. When the
little ball disappeared in the CUP
there came to the ears of Hagen the
sound of thousands of other persons
applauding him for having fought so
hard and Sc well and losing with
the same poise and smooth temper he
had shown Just IL months before
when victory was his.
Fortune Plays Hand
Kirkwood, like Hagen, might have
been the victor today but for a few
tricks of fortune and the nature and
design of the course. Likewise Mac
Donald Smith had an opportunity to-
win but, like Kirkwood, he had his
sorrows In the wind on the journey
back to the club house.
G. A. Whitsomee. who had taken
the lead yesterday with sterling 20,
at that time a new course record. coll
lapsed this afternoon under the awful
strain which the championship grind
imposes and finished with an So to
tie George Duncan for sixth place
Havers did not win by brilliance
of play. He won by starting steady
and keeping steady until the very
end. Each of his first three rounds
he made in 73's, while the other
leaders in the contest fluctuated
from low 60 to as high as so, these
two extremes being recorded by Mac
Donald Smith.
O o O
Hnvers Wins On 20.
This afternoon Havers failed to
round out his card with a fourth 10;
but he went no higher than 76 and
that figure as it turned out was low
enough to bring him the champion
ship. Havers is the nrst really young
Briton to win the championship since
the twentieth century began as fol-
lows until the American got the habit
Of winning IL the tronhN al WAYS ha d