The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-18
NO TABLE Pros
ARE OUT Of
Bis EVENT
Sectional QuaIltyi hounds
Eliminate Players Of
Fine caIiber

1t ID contrary to human nature to
expect that any method which the
Professional Golfers Association OF
America might devise for the pur-
pose Of Whiting the field in its
championship would meet with
unanimous favor, yet It is possible
that some system could be devised
which would make the event Tar
more representative than It Is now.
AS likely. as not when the salaried
hosts gather at Olympia Fields
next month for the purpose OF sift-
ing out the 1926 champion, quite g
few Of the leading professionals will
be missing as a. result of the sec
tional system which is now being
used to decide who are to compete
in the match play proceedings.
Already q number OF stRlwartS
have fallen victims to the uncer-
tainties Of the sectional qualifying
plan. Under the district allotment
method, Chicago, with host of
courses, has been granted only
three places and how many first
class failures resulted is best shown
by naming those who survived. The
1hree successful qualifiers were
Laurie Ayton, Al Espinosa, and
William Mehlhorn. Among the UNI
fortunates who failed to make pass
ing grades were Eddie Loos and
Bob Macdonald, to mention only
two of the more prominent players
in the Windy City district. The
jovial Jock Hutchinson will not be
present, due to the fact that the
qualifying round was played while
he was out on golf jaunt. In
Hutchison's case, however, his alb
sence is voluntary, since he had q
choice of playing in the qualifying
round or not, as he saw tit.
Elsewhere there have been other
notable golfers who have failed to
pass muster. Clarence Hackney,
recent winner Of the New Jersey
State open, failed to qualify; so
did = Bobby Cruickshank. Other
prominent figures in various Sec
tions of the country have failed
also and the chances are good
for a, number of stars failing to
make the grade when the metropoli-
tan district qualifying round is
played at Fox Hills today. Thir.
teen places have been awarded to
this section and there are more than
a hundred golfers who will attempt
to fill them. There are sure to be
many disappointments and it may
be that some of the foremost links
men in the district will be left
outside the pale.
OF course if the field has to be
limited to sixty-four players there
is only one way to do it, and that
Is to qualify either sectionally or
at the scene of action. Both plans
have now been tried and the present
one seems to be better thought Of
than the old one under which the
entire field qualified at the scene
of the tournament proper and then
proceeded Immediately to the man
to-man elimination. Qualifying by
sections has two advantages-it
cuts down the cost by making it
possible for players to qualify in
their own districts and it takes
care Of number of golfers in out
lying sections who might not go
to the P. G. A. tournament If they
had to make long Journeys and
still have no assurance of qualify
ing. But it might not be bad
plan to play the entire event as
the British amateur is played
match play from the start. That
would insure a representative field
and a representative champion.