Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-26
BELIEVES Won ELM
WILL CHECK BOBBY
Golfer Who Once Conquered
Champion Takes Unique
Role as Prophet.
BY FRANCIS j. POWERS.
OS ANGELES, August 26.-Willie
Hunter, who beat Bobby Jones In
MIR ouu amateur and then

Hunter, who beat Bobby Jones in
our own amateur and then
IL turned professional before the
Georgian could get q chance to
even the score, has earned himself q
new distinction.
So far as can be learned. Hunter is
the only individual in the entire world
to come out and declare openly that
Robert Tyre will not win the 1929 ma
tional amateur championship at Pebble
Beach next week. BY September 8
Hunter either will be the worlds great
est golf prophet or the worlds worst
prognosticator.
Hunter further goes out on a limb
by naming the man who will march of
with the title. He selects his old play
ing partner, George Won Elm. Won Elm
is no poor selection. and quite likely
will give Jones a hard battle should
the two meet in the finals.
Won Elm's Play Keen.
Won Elm was one of the early arrivals
OF the amateur crowd to reach the Pa
cif1c Coast, and his play is quite keen.
But not a whit sharper than the game
Of Jones, who is taking the forthcoming
championship quite seriously. Won Elm
knows Pebble Beach as well as his own
door yard, and has won several Cali
fornia championships over it. But that
still does not make him q favorite over
the Georgian.
! During the past two years Won Elm
has been unable to march past the first
hound, having been dropped at Mini
kaflda by Harry Legg and at Brae Burn
BY Arthur Yates. 1t seems unlikely he
will have that misfortune this season,
Tor his game impresses the writer as
being more steady than at any time
II. 1n
1925. His play is the equal of any star
up to the green, but on the carpets he
must bow to Jones, and 1t is there
Bobby probably will whip him II they
meet.
Given Great Reception.
4 Jones arrived in Los Angeles Wednes-
Hay and was given great reception by
h small group Of California golfers. The
Los Angelesan would have preferred to
live Bobby a more riotous greeting, but
Zones asked that the fireworks be
omitted. Jones was the guest Of Los
Angeles golf writer's at a ham, and
cabbage dinner on Friday evening, at
which many of the motion picture
worlds performers paid $50 for the
opportunity Of breaking a ham hook
with the greatest of all golfers.
Jones spent several days playing
practice rounds over Southern Cali
fornia courses with Charlie Black and
other members of the Atlanta delega-
ton, and was well satisfied. On Satur-
day he paired up with Chick Evans
against Won Elm and Jack Neville in a
charity match at the Los Angeles Coun-
try Club. A gallery of more than 10000
followed the champion, and when he
had fired his battery of shots there were
few to agree with Willie Hunter.
Drives Satisfy Bobby.
Bobby goes into the championship
we'll satisfied with the way his wooden
shots are working. His drives troubled
him during all of the 1928 season. but
he was crashing them far and straight
over Los Angeles courses. and his new
spoon has fitted nicely into his armory
Of weapons. The writer believes Bobby
Is In far better form than when he won
the open at Winged Foot. and wants to
disagree with Willie Hunter to the ex-
tent Of saying Mr.. Jones most probably
will take the championship cup back to
Atlanta for another stay on the mantel
ut East Lake.
George Voigt, Jess Sweetser, as we'll
rs the British invaders, are due to ar
rive shortly. Most of the Far Western
entrants already are on the ground, and
Phil Finlay has been shooting the
championship layout in par figures for
more than two weeks. The champion
ship promises to be great one and
will be filled with surprises.
Many famous players are going to
have difficulty in qualifying for the
championship, and there may be some
strange names in the 80 elect that set
out to dethrone Jones. The writer is of
the opinion that the Pacific Coast dele
cation. of which the Noes. Dolphs, Ne
vile, McHugh, Finlay and Seaver are
leaders. will cut a swath in the battle.
They are all good golfers. and so well
acquainted with California green and
Pacific Ocean winds that Pebble Beach
will be less Of puzzle to them than the
lourneymen from the Midlands and the
Eastern sector. =.