San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-27
SMILING BILL
MEHLH0RN'S .
HIS NAME !.
"Wild Bill" Of Texas Open
Back With New
Monicker.

cned
When he started out early in life
his proud parents hung handle ON
him labeled William f. Mchlhorn.
AS time progressed. as it is wont 10
do, William took his place in the sun
of golfdom. His accomplishments soon
called for some distinctive monicker.
He got that at San Antonio the year
he engaged in the 1S-hole playoff
with Walter Hagen. He became
known rs wild Bill" Mehlhorn, Just
because he missed a ''two-footer-
worth $500.
All. But things have changed since
then. Bill has annexed titles. mo-
tably the Western Open and Hagen
was included in that field. Hence
Bill. and his manager. r. J. Leni-
han. believe Bill is entitled to a new
name. In a letter to Jack O'Bricn.
tournament MANAGER for the Texas
Open, which takes place here Janu-
airy II, Is and 10, Lenihan urges
that the press call William, "Smil-
ing Bill" Mchlhorn from now on out.
POPULAR PERFORMER.
So now it is Smiling BIZ who
will arrive here January Is TO com
pete in the San Antonio classic.
Many are thinning their faith on
Smiling Bill" to cop the title this
year. despite the fact that such men
as Kirkwood. Turnosa. Macdonald
Smith and hosts Of other stars are
coming for the tournament.
Each day sees the golf association
mail increasing in volume from all
parts of the land and the names on
the entry blanks indicate that the
fastest and biggest field in the his
tory OF the tournament will flock here
next month.
A pcrusal of the entry list reads
like pages from the Blue Book of
Golfdom. Champions. ex-champs and
links threats" are listed and when
the final curtain rings down on Sat
urday night. January 10, there either
will be new king" crowned, or the
local link lizards" will be treated
to another playoff such as thrilled
thousands when Mchlhorn and Hagen
staged n memorable battle for is
holes.
The bunch has been advanced, due
to the speedy field of quality, that
there will be another tie in January.
necessitating a playoff. The rule of
golf requires that when two are tied
for championship it is necessary
for the deadlocked competitors TO en-
gage i'm is holes of play to decide the
championship. second place automati.
cally going TO the defeated player.
REGULARS" COMING.
The latest entries show the famous
Boyd-GOlden combination from the
Metropolitan district will be here.
The well-knOwn Fox Hills pro, Tom
Boyd. and his touring mate. John
Golden Of Patterson, y. j.. will head
the touring squad which will include
Farrell. Cyril Walker and
numerous others from the moo
Nawk' region. Dan Williams and
Jack O'Connor, of Shackamaxon c.
C., WeStfield. \. j., and Ferncliff
c. c.. Caldwell, n. j., respectively,
will arrive here January II.
Scores of stars who are to compete
in the Los Angeles tournament will
leave there the night of January 10
for San Antonio and will not file
their entries until their arrival. Adj
vices have been received from Joe
Kirkwood, Al Watrous, Bobby Cruick
shank and Al Espinosa to the effect
that every star competing in Los
Angeles would come here for the San
Antonio event.
Definite word has been received
from Dallas that no tournament
would be held there this winter.
The excuse that mo stars are avail
abler has been adopted by the Dali
las folks. What they mean by
stars not available" is hard for
the local golf association to figure
out. because the best in the world
have announced their intention OF
competing here. Some one advanced
the idea that Dallas did not want
10 play second fiddle" TO the San
Antonio classic. which is now con-
sidered one of the major events Of
the year.
MEET AT TEXARKANA.
G. r. PAYNE of Texarkana. Ark.
has arranged an open tournament at
his club and the stars will stop off
there on their way to Hot Springs.
where another $4,000 tournament is
being staged the first week in Febru-
airy.
The pros will be highly entertained
while here. The San Antonio Coun-
try Club and the Alamo Country Club
have arranged best ball tournaments
which will keep the pros here several
days after the Texas Open.
Newspapers throughout the land
are using stories about San Antonio
and her golfing facilities and around
the first of the year a huge influx
of tourists is expected by the local
hotel men.