Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-06-17

OAKMONT, Pa, June 16 R-The
greatest golf monarch of modern
times, bronzed but troubled Bobby
Jones, slipped from his American
throne today while a former Scotch
amateur and partially blinded veteran
of the World war fought his way
to a sensational tie with a % year
old English-born professional for the
open championship of the United
States. M &
In as spectacular a finish as any
battle Of the links has ever witnessed,
Tommy Armour, the Scotch star, now
professional at the Congressional club
of Rockville, Md, near washington,
sank a 12-foot putt for birdie"
three on the last hole of his final
round to enter a deadlock with dark
haired Harry Cooper, Briton by
birth, but an American since early
youth and now the pro" at the Ell
Serene club of Los Angeles.
These rivals from opposite sides
of the continent each finished the
gruelling 72-hOle three-day champion
ship struggle with scores of 3O1,
Armour with rounds of 78-71-76-76,
and Cooper with 74-76-75-77. They
will play off tomorrow at p. m,
eastern daylight time, in an 18-hole
round over Oakmont's bunkered ter
rain for the coveted title and the
rich financial reward it carries, pos
Sibly as high a stake as $4,000 for
the coming years earning powers.
1t was battle to the finish among
the professional stars of Britain and
America, as the amateur phalanx was
broken. Not only did Bobby Jones
fail at any time to menace the lead
erS or strike his championship stride,
but. he finished well down the list,
tied for eleventh place in the final
standing with a score of 300.
The Georgia1l's rounds of 7677-79-
n represented the poorest showing he
has ever made in an open champion
ship since he first played in the
tournament in 1920, at the age of 18.
Shattered also today were the hopes
of another amateur ace, Harrison r.
tJimmy) Johnston, of Minneapolis,
who furnished the sensation of the
first two days by leading the field
but went to pieces on the first round
today, registering a dismal 81, Is
over par, that put him completely
out of the running. He finished with
rounds of 73-74-87-77, for 311.
Cooper, playing consistently and
at times brilliantly throughout the
tournament set. the mark which the
others shot att through the closing,
thrilling round, but Armour alone was
able to come through and equal it
where more famous stars, such as
Gene Sarazen, Ef}rlet French Walter.
Hagen, wild Bill" Melhorns and
Archie Cornpston, FOREMOST Of the
British threats, tossed away their
chances, falteling at critical stages Of.
the chase. @ ss1
Armour's chances too, seemed BLAST
ed when he Started the final nine
holes in 6-3A6, three over, sparseb but
it was at this critical turn that the,
former Scotch, amateur, who rose from
the ranks of a private to a major
in the British tank corps during the
war, reached his greatest heights and
staged as dramatic a finish as any
tournament has sever seen f
Armour knew he had to finish the
last six holes in one better than par
to tie Cooper and his shots were
as straight as string, as true as
steel, as he reeled off this trapped
and troublesome stretch the Waterloo
of most of other hopes, in the
astonishing figures of 3-4-4-3-4-3.
Even with par, straw-hatted Tommy
shot his tee shot straight down the
middle of the last FairWay, lined
by a surging mob of thousands, tense
with expectancy. Coolly he measured
his iron shot, then sent the ball high
and on a line to the pin 200 yards
away. It hit the green, rolled a
yard and stopped, IL feet from the
pit but in good position. Six and
seven deep the spectators stood on
tip toe around the velvety course
and Armour examined his line and
the ball firmly on a journey that
a mighty roar went UP as he struck
ended with click in the bottom
of the cup.
There was less thrill but just as
much workmanship to the perform
ance of Lighthouse" Harry Cooper,
whose meteoric flights of scoring have
been confined to the west and far
west heretofore. He took the lead
by two strokes at the end of the third
round with 254 and would have
clinched the championship but for
a few lapses with his irons and putter
on the final turn of the course.
Three SKIES showed on Cooper's
card for the last 18 holes, each due