New Britain herald., 1928-09-10
AMATEUR TOURNEY
 TO START TODAY
Physical ls WM ls loatl Test
 Coafron6 Golfers

Newton, Mass, Sept. 10 ~t-Tne 32nd National Amateur Golf champ ionship of the United States may develop into an endurance test be- fore all the returns are in Saturday night. The start of the classic found indications that 1t might be . sur vival of the fittest physically rather than a matter of unadulterated golf. Only the stoutest heart of the na- tion's best amateur golfers looked without trepidation on the hills of Brae Burn. course that will ab- sorb lot of climbing.
 The final practice period brought many players to the last green with dragging feet, and a football play CT. accustomed to taking his recre- ation with no appeal for quarter, announced after a mere IS holes that he was going to bed immedi- ately to rest for the qualifying rounds today and tomorrow.
 The climb at Brae Burns begins on the 2nd hole and while even a golf course follows the law of grav- ity which decrees that all that goes up must come down, the respites here and there are paid for as the round drags on.
 The sun-bronzed Bobby Jones, three times champion and medalist for two years in a row. seemed trained to the minute for the test that is to determine if he is to take his place alongside Jerry Travers, who for IS years has been the only golfer to win the amateur four times. No matter what the course may do to the woods and irons of the pride of Atlanta he apparently is equipped to finish under hls own power.
 One of the most severe altitude tests comes at the ninth hole where the second shot after the drive must be made high in the air to an ele- vated green. The home hole offers problem in the form of brook 2oS yards from the tee. Few of the contenders were confident that they packed a wallop good for 8 carry of this distance every time.
 The qualifying tests cast their terrifying shadow over the field, a former champion suggested that not more than 15 fours would be made on the 18th hole by the IA ambi- tious starters in the first test of skill and nerve. II would dislike very much to come up to this hole needing four to qualify" he said.
 The consensus was that Brae Burn would stand for no foolishness on the part of the players and pre- dictions of high qualifying scores were frequent. Many experienced observers thought 160 for the 36 holes would win the right to remain in the match play competition, re- stricted to 32 players. These were to be determined by IS holes at medal play. today and another 1S tomorrow. The current battle-ground is more attractive for the match players than the performers seek ing medalist honors and the same experts who believed two sos good enough to qualify predicted that score of 15O or more would win the medal. Not since 1920 has the medalist scored more than 15O. Jones' 142 at Minikahda last year tied the record, made by D. Clark Corkran at Meriden in 1924. Jones was medalist at Baltusrol in 1926 with 143 and Roland Mackenzie car- ried off the honors at Oakmont in 1925 with 145.
 Players scoring 156 last year played off for the available qualify ing places but in 1926 those with 36 hole totals of 163 entered the piayoff. No round under 70 has been recorded at Brae Burn in a major championship. The best in the national open here in 1919 was par 7o. The only time 70 has been