Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-06-16
YOUNG AMATEUR LEADS BIG FIELD
IN THE FIRST half OF AMERICAN.
open GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE.

OAhIMJNl, I'd, 0ul1C IL va = AAeeA
son r. (Jinnly) Johnston, a stocKy
blonde young amateur from Minneapo-
lis, pulled himself back from Ine orlnk
of disaster today with dazzling sCreaK
of Shot-malzing that put him out N
front, alone, when the smoke nac
cleared from the first half OF the
American open golf championship
battle.
All but counted out when he
skidded fout strokes over par and TOOK
Al for the first nine, johnson displayed
the fighting qualities he merits as a
Wor war veteran and former boxer TO
stage a startling comeback. Deserted
by the gallery that considered his
chances fast fading, Jimmy" rallied to
blaze his way nome in 33, two under
par, for a IA.
Tackled to the 73 that tied him Tor
the first days lead, it gave Johnston
a two-day 36-hole total of LAT to top
as great field of internationally IA
nous stars as ever sought the title
1t was sufficient to keep him a stroke
ahead of his nearest rival, sturdy Gene
Sarazcrl, the champion Of 1922, and
increase to six strokes his lead over
amateur ace, Bobby Jones.
Where he was pushed to bag 76 the
day before, Jones SUruck a seven-hole
streak of erratic work with his mashie
and putter today that had the greatest
gallery of the tournament groaning.
He snapped out of this slump to finish
the last six holes in even par, his most
consistent streak so far, but nOtched q
n chat gave him a tWo-day total OF l53
and tie for tenth place.
Disappointing as has been Jones
start, the fashion in which he finally
struck his stride on the home stretch
today increased the prospect that he
may yet blaze a conquering trail to-
morrow for the second successive year.
Ahead of the great Georgian, however,
are cot only the surprising Johnston,
now a tWo-day sensation, and the cool,
resourceful Sarazen, but also halt
dozen other professional stars keen
for the ''big hunt" as they seemingly
sense as good an opening as they have
had in some time to break up the reign
of the 25-year- old king. Right behind
Sarazen with 149, is Tom Armour, in
third place as result of the best
round of the tournament so far, a
flashy II that broke the back OF Oak
mOnt'S *old man par" for the first time
in two days of enbattled StrOking.
Tying Harry Cooper, the Los Angeles
STAR for fourth place at $50 stood the
dapper figure OF Walter Hagen, ION"
his game today for the first time as he
registered. sparkling 73 on top of his
mediocre n of the day before and
fI1roo q fiFaich ri f0I-icfiP Of
the sort that has carried him before
to two American open titles and as
many British championships,
In sixth place, Harry Hampton, vet
eran Memphis pro, who shared the
lead with Johnston yesterday, regis
tered rs today after an opening round
of 73 for a total of Isl. 1t was a
stroke better than the marks of Wild
Bill" Nehlhorn who added a n to his
IS of Tuesday; Fred Baroni, western
Pennsylvania open champion, who
jumped from an opening day 80 to a
sensational par 72 today, and Leo Die
gel, who notched a "a today that inn
proved considerably on his 78 of the
day before.
Jones, at 153, was l1racketed with the
sole remaining British threat, Archie
Conpston, as well as Long Jim"
Barnes, the 1921 champion, and Eddie
Loos, of Glendale ILL.,, all three of
whom did much better than the day
before.
Only six of the invading British team
of nine professionals remained in the
field, cut to 81 players as scores of only
163 or better were declared qualified for
tomorroW's final Sc holes But only
Compston looned as even an outside
menace to American proweSs. This
long hitting Briton flashed a IA today
after his 70 of the day before and was
three strokes ahead of his nearest
countlynlan, Arthur HaVerS, who had
1885,
Ted Ray, veteran British team cap
tain, faded from his rs of Tuesday to
Sorrowful 80 this afternoon for a
total Of 159 The other three British
survivors, George Ga6d, H. C. Jolly and
Aubrey Boomer, all barely escaped
elimination altogether as they each
hunt up 1852 Charley Whitcombe and
George Duncan, each with 1854, put
themselves out Of the tournament.
Johnny Farrell and Bobby Cruick-
shank, topheavy favorite at the start,
improved on their mediocre starts to-
day, particularly Farrell, who shot Is,
which gave him n total of 154 to help
offset his opening round of 81. Cruick-
shank added a II to his 78 for 155.
On the other hand, several of the
first days stars dinan1ed. Dave Robert
son, OF Dearborn Mich, who had "a
yesterday, exploded to an 85 and a
total Of 159, while Larry iNapholtz, of
Sharon, Pa, skidded to an aggregate
of 1856.