Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-14
BOBBY JONES LEADS BIG FIELD
AT ST. ANDREWS WITH AMAZING
6S TO DEFEND HIS CHAMPIONSHIP

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland, July 13
R)-"Calamity Jane," Bobby Jones
famous putter, or her sister, was a
magic wand on the vast green's of
American holder of the British title to
leap out in front of big field with
an amazing 68 to start his defense
if his open championship. The
record -equalling round of the classic
course gave Bobby a lead of three
strokes at the end Of the first phase
of the 70 holes of medal play.
Eighteen holes will be played to-
morrow with final 36 to decide the
issue Friday.
All of the players in today's COM
petition, however, will not have a
part in the play of Friday for the
field will be reduced by elimination
of all Is strokes or more behind the
leader after tomorrow's round. An
other sensational card by Jones to-
morrow would make the list of casu-
aIties large and leave a small fleld
OF bitter-enders.
Len Nettlefold, young Australian
amateur champion, left handed
hitter, dubbed his way into an inn
pressive II to take the runner-up
position at the end of the day.
Joe Kirkwood, Australian pro, who
has gained fame as trick shot, play
ing as resident of Albany Ga,
turned in a score of 72, He found
himself tied with five British entrants
at that figure.
Five other Americans were in the
late 7O's, with John G. Anderson, OF
Mamaroneck, N. Y, out OF the
charmed circle with an 8S, suffered
in spite of some first class putting.
Jim Barnes, of New Rochelle, N. r,
and Tom Stevens, of Los Angeles
scored 76 and Larry Nabolz, OF Sharon,
pa. and Bill Merlhorn, of New York.
were tied at n. Walter Kennett, OF
Palma Ceia, Fla, was a stroke back
with 49, 80
ONLY 35 of the more than 100
players were able to compile scores
of rs or better today. wild Bill
Mehlhorn came home well enough
scoring par, but was given his golfing
black eye by first nine requiring
40 strokes.
ST. Andrews was thrown into a
frenzy of enthusiasm over Jones per-
formance. Only once in all its
hundreds of years of golfing history
has any one gone round this puzzllng
golf course in 68 strokes. The otner
68 was made by Bobby's friend George
Duncan. widely known British pro
who failed to qualify for the current
championship play. -,
For days the st. Andrews lolE
have been predicting that 1t Woulc
be a Jones championship and nj
great start has called for flood O
"I told YOU"
Bobby played what he called "crazy
golf" and explained that he did no,
think he did particularly well except
with his putter.
IT was rotten up to the green" he
told the Associated Press. WASH
hitting my long shots properly, pu'
I could putt
Bobby may not have been satisfied
with the way his So was obtained but
1000 spectators who jammed ano
iostled one another on fa1rWays a11o
green's seemed to be satisfied some
Of them declared that they had founc
more thrills in 18 holes of play thar
most people get out of golf IN
lifetime.
Bobby bowed to par on only one
hole all day. He needed five on the
par A second, but after that old man
par took a lot of punishment at the
hands of the young expert. He had
par five down at the close. On the
first nine he scored an eagle and
three brides. Coming home he played
every hole in par except the 17th
where he had a birdie and missed
an eagle by inches, 1
The first hint of the startling
performance to follow came on the
fifth hole, $50 yards, with trouble
everywhere. Two tremendous wooden
shots sent the ball to the edge OF
the mammoth green, but left it 120
feet from the cup. Bobby drove the
putt home, straight and true, for
an eagle. Encouraged, he followed
with a birdie at the sixth and finished
2-3 for brides at the eighth and
ninth, long puts dropping at each
hole. He was on the edge Of the
famous road hole, the 17th, in two
and his putt for the eagle almost
went down. The birdie was easy
Coming to the 18th with four for
6S and three for 81 he was home in
two and went boldly Tor the cup
from 16 feet. He was a yard past
and had to accept a par equalled
instead Of broken record.