Evening star., 1926-04-02

But evidently both Tommy and my
self We're a little ahead of schedule.
We both continued to shoot good golf
on the first day of the actual cham
ponship he having 143 for the two
rounds, only a stroke back of Walter
Hagen who led at that point, While
! was l49.
But both of us went bad the second
day. I never seemed to get going i'll
the morning round and took an so.
round of 73 in the afternoon was
more like championship golf, but that
50 had spoiled any chance of finish
ing close to the top. Tommy had 20
in the morning and then took So in the
AFTERNOON, 50 that we finished in Il tie
at 3o2. l. strokes back ON Hagens
winning mark. Chick Evans was only
a stroke behind Hagen. SO that he just
barely missed his chance to repeat the
performance of Francis Quinet the
year before, when he became the first
amateur to win the open champions
ship.
Annexes Western Open.
One week later the Western open
was played at the Interlachen Country
Club Of Minneapolis. Pretty much all
of the field that took part at Mid
lothian was on hand, but this time I
won, finishing with 293 to beat Willie
Kidd of the st. Louis Country Club by
one stroke, coming from behind in the
last round
Many golf fans ask which round of
a championship is the hardest. My
opinion is that the last one is. be-
cause it carries a kind of accumulated
strain picked up over the three pre-.
ceding rounds And anyway, up to
that last round there always is the
hope. even though it may be faint at
times, that somehow or other YOU will
be able TO get in an extra brilliant
round TO make up for the mistakes
already made
always have tried to think as little
as possible about whether | had to
protect a lead or TO make up one that
somebody else held. Thinking of
things of this kind is just like worry
ing about whether your stance is
right, or whether YOU have selected
the right club for q shot. or half a
hundred other things that players
frequently allow to break up their con-
centratiou on hitting the ball. The
less one worries about them the bet
ter off he is. II isn't always an easy
thing to do, and some people find it
easier than others. but anybody can
improve by diligent practice III this
respect.
Fitness for Play Is Factor.
1t also seems to be something of q
puzzle TO lots of players as to why Il
player will play poorly in one tourna-
ment and then only a short time later
play brilliantly. Yet there isn't any
thing strange or difficult to explain
about it. 1t is largely matter of the
players keenness and fitness or the
| lack of these things. In other words,
he may be lacking in proper condition
for play both mentally and physically,
because be hasn't been playing enough
golf. or. again, he may be stale from
over play.
Every golfer of any considerable
experience will understand this. Any
one who has had much experience at
tournament play knows what il means
to strike u tournament at the top of
ones game and find that after "A round
or two he is losing something of his
keenneSs, or the satisfaction of find
ing that he is playing himself into
his stride as the tournament goes
along.
Incidentally | never have been very
keen for any system of intensive
physical training for 81 tournament,
such. for instance. as doing road work
like n boxer or runner. as one player
did for the championship at Worces-
ter the past Summer.
Regular Hours Essential.
To my mind the player who is play
ing regularly two or three times a
week will keep himself fit enough
physically. But player must keep
regular hours. get plenty of sleep, and
be reasonable in his eating. 1t is n
common saying in base ball that GER
tain ball players have "eaten their
way right out of the big leagues" and
there is no doubt at all that more
golfers than few have spoiled their
chances in big championships by
stuffing themselves too heavily at
lunch time.
The Western Open was the biggest
prize l had yet won. and in spite of
the fact that I had finished rather well
down the list in the national champion
ship, there was reason to be fairly
well satisfied with the sea son.
That winter l had my first look
II - ~ Your Old Hat