The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-15
By WALTER HAGE.


 By WALTER HAGEN
 Former American. British and French open
 champion, twice American title holder,
 South open and the Florida open md
 Texas open.
 CHAPTER VI
 With the Pan-American and the ma tional open championship titles in my possession was set for the campaign of 1915. I guess I was little cocky over my success, for ! had tumble coming to me. The national open that year was scheduled for Baltusrol. a New Jersey course that has seen many championship matches. and it was up to me to defend my title.
 You must remember that I was only 22 years of age at that time, and the idea of possible defeat had never en- tered my head. l suppose I took 1t for granted that as long as I had won the open once could repeat the perform ance as many times as necessary-an illusion long since exploded. If all championships were like the Pan-Amer- ican 1t would be different, As far as I know I still hold that title and probably always will, as 1t will never be played for again.
 Tells of Great Play
 Early that spring I came down to o Greenwich in which four amateurs and four pros took part. There were just two foursomes, but quite a large gall lery was on hand to witness the per formance.
 It was a close contest all around, and up to the thirteenth hole looked like anybody's match. On that hole, however, managed to pull off one of those freak stunts that happen about once In season. The hole measured 4b0 yards and my drive was long and straight and covered approximately 250 yards. The hole was slightly concealed from view by the undulations of the the shot straight for the pin. It looked pretty good. but must confess I was dumbfourded at what happened.
 NO sooner was my stroke completed than fellow in the gallery near the green began jumping up and down and shouting something that couldn't make out. l thought at first that he was trying to tell me I had gone on over the green or that the bali had stopped dead to the hole. On the contrary found that he was trying to inform me that |! had holed out in two on a par four hole.
 Herd Has I7 Aces
 speaking of freak strokes. holding out long midiron shot Is as close as l ever came to making a hole mi one. l must be long overdue. I have played but the long-looked-for ace is yet to come. Most good players have made them. Sandy Herd has a collection of seventeen. Alex Smith has eleven or twelve. Mike Brady has almost as many, but I have never even started on my collection. They say that a hole in one is due once in every twenty thousand shots. but If this Is the case, I must be long overdue. I haveplayed a great deal of golf, in this country and abroad, but the ace is still in the flu ture. Perhaps I will average up before I finish. with the game.
 Invented Dread4ought Driver
 Soon after my freak, the clan began gathering for the open at Baitusrol, and was among them. There was a good field of players with few entries from the other side of the Atlantic. Among the latter was little Benny Say CTS, who added considerable interest to the tournament. Benny is a well-known character in Scotland; he Is one of the smallest pros in the game, but an ex- cellent shot maker. It was Benny who invented the famous dreadnought driver and later on gave us the ribbed mashie.
 Before the tournament started some one remarked that if I won again 1t would be fine achievement, as 1t was d HloSt uhklCulb -tHlHS tO OOs JOHnHle McDermott had accomplished a double victory in 1911 and 1912, but the field was not so good then. Neither was it so formidable few years earlier when Willie Anderson, grand little golfer of his day, won three big open titles in a row. Willie won four championships in his time, but his career was cut short by an untimely death.
 Gil Loses His Hold I found that Gil Nichols, who was just then at the top of his game, was the favorite to win, and I made up my mind to watch him closely; in fact. l played with Gil on several occasions prior to the start of the match. and his work was uncanny. He did not seem human, for round after round he was close to seventy. When the Nual. flying round started he was still as steady as d clock and led his half of the field. And then the very thing happened to him which had thrown me orr my pace just before the Pan-Amer- tcan championship. Gil's long streak of perfect golf suddenly left him. l had come on to my game at the psych- ological moment. while Gil found his slipping away just as quickly and mys- tertously. By the time the champions ship proper got under way he was flop ping them all over the lot. Nothing broke right for him and he finished the morning round with a score close to eighty.
 Amateurs Take Lead
 will not go into detail concerning the outcome of the tournament, except to say that 1t proved bitter disap- continent for me. I did my best, but 1t was not in the cards that I should Win. It was the amateurs who had cause for rejoicing that year, as Jerry IraVers came to the front and won the tltle. Jerry had always been a star right and showed under the Epworth leaguers.
 Rayman was the scoring star of the game, shooting IF points. Brunson came next with A. Shivers, for Owen ton, was the big offensive cog and was third man in scoring, with 13. Kelly played a good game at guard for Owenton.
 The lineup;
 Y. M. c. A. (3sl-Brunson dD and Endsley t2). forwards: Rayman d0, center; Lord and Sheppard. guards Substitutes: Holt (6) for Sheppard.
 Owenton Q6-Shivers G3) and Stevenson, forwards; Tate, center: Kelly @ and Rice, guards. Substi- tute: McCreary for Rice.
 Referee-Bryan. Umpire: Mitchell.