Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-13
SHUTE TOPS FIELD
p OF GOLF|NG ELITE
I'lany Ranking Players Are
80, Failing to Qualify
for Title Rounds.
BY the Associated Press.


n OS ANGELES, January 13.-Half
a hundred select wanderers of
the national fairways today put
behind them two distressing
rounds of golf over the rain-soaked.
wind-swept Riviera course, and pre-
pared to continue play in the Los An
geles $4,000 open tournament, cheered
by the prospect of clear day.
A young professional from Columbus.
Ohio. Denny Shute, who yesterday con-
ouered the reacherous course ana the
rio.ing elements to shoot IA, 8 over
par. headed this array OF quallhers
with a score of lat. This gave two
stroke advantage over his nearest rival,
Young Norton Smith of the Missouri
Ozarks.
Among the discards-the 80 who
failed to shoot 159 or better-were some
of the country's golfing elite, including
the veteran campaigner. Walter Hagen.
The "Haig," whose nearly 20 years OF
professional play led him to most of the
major championships of the world, yes
terday picked up his ball at the end OF
the eight hole and announced that he
had enough"
Hagen Drops Out.
The round had been one of disaster
for Sir Walter. Caught when the storm
was at the peak of its fury, the British
open champion took 40 strokes on the
first eight holes, after shooting an 81
in Fridays opening round. 1t was the
first time he ever had quit in major
competition.
Hagen was not alone Fourteen
others gave up in despair Yesterday;
- of hn frcf holes
Friday. Half a dozen or more others
of the Nations leading players failed
to make the grade.
Chief among these were Henry Cuici,
one of New England's leading pros;
Craig Wood, winner Of the Hawaiian
open; AL Watrous, Detroit pro; Johnny
Dawson, a high-ranking amateur from
Chicago: Joe Turnsea, member OF the
Ryder cup team; Ed Gayer' Chicago
and a host of others. --
What quarter was given by the ele-
ments yesterday was received by Shute,
when he went out in &c. three over par,
and came home with an even par 36.
The tempest broke with all its fury as
the young Ohioan holed out at the
eighteenth.
Smith was caught with the storm at
its height. The torrential rain, driven
before an ocean gale. caught the Mis-
and did not let up until he had COM
pleted the thirteenth.
Grouped with Cuici and Macdonald
Smith, the defending champion, Smith
grinlly fought his way through for
76 while his partners took 81 and "a,
respectively. Macdonald Smith turn
ed in 159 for the SO holes, just enough
to permit him to stay for the third and
final rounds today and tomorrow.
Armour Makes Grade.
Two strokes behind the Missouri pro
and four behind the leader trailed a
quartet of drenched contenders with
cards of ISL. These were Tommy Ar
mour, Detroit; Fay Coleman, Culver
City, Calf, amateur; Al ESpinosa, Chi
cage, and Bobby Cruickshank, New
York. Johnny Rogers of Denver, whose
subpar of 10 for the opening day placed
him in a temporary lead, faltered with
an 81 to boost his total to 152 in
three cornered tie.
The best 10 was chalked up for Neil
Christian, Portland, Greg, pro, who also
had the favor of the elements when he
shot 10 for a 1852. His in card in
cluded four consecutive brides. Grouped
with him were two CalifornianS, Chef
Beer, Bakersfield, and Willie Hunter,
Los Angeles.
Leo Diegel national P. G. A. cham
pion, scored an 80 to finish with 1853.
Among the fortunate who just
squeezed into the low fifty were Tony
Manero, Catalina Island, open cham
pion: wild Bill Mehlhorn, also of
New York Ed Dudley, Wilmington, Del,
and w. H. Cox of Brooklyn.
Coleman's third place tie with ISL
permitted him to head the list Of ANA
teurs, with George Won Elm of Detroit
the only other Simon pure to make the
gu 'ification grade. He had 1877 to his
credit.
Eighteen holes are on today's sched-
ule. with the concluding round of the
T2-hole tourney tomorrow. Weather
forecasts were clear and cold.