The Washington times., 1930-07-05
.HAIG DRILLED
/ ON THE 0. I.
/ FOROPEN
Nv DAVIS ]. WALSH


| NEW YORK, July 5.-Accord-
ing to testimony, vouchsafed TO-
day for whatever 1t might be
worth in keeping the books bal.
anced, the Beau Poseur of the golf
course, Mr.. Walter Hagen, has
finally taken his mind off his
haircut and is ready to make a
grim, desperate move against the
citadel of American golf in the
open championship at Minneapo-
lis next week. They say that Mr..
Hagen has cast aside the robes OF
the Jester. They aver that, at
least for the purposes Of this
tournament, he will wear the
habit of a friar.
They say, in fact, that Hagen
gave UP everything, even a de-
tense of his British open title, be
cause he had ordained his soul
or something to the winning OF
the American Open Champion
ship of 1880 and that, failing
this time, he will be prepared to
admit that it isn't in him.
) It may be interesting to
: mention at this juncture that
j Cyril TOlley, the Englishman,
4 is alleged to have stated, in
4 what he deemed to be privacy,
/ that he doesn't believe Bobby
i Jones can win the open at
Minneapolis.
It is alleged to be Cyril's opin-
ion that, in spite of the mans
dramatic victories in tn two
British events or maybe because
of them, Jones is suffering a vio-
lent attack of mental indigestion.
Some call it over-golf, proving
that they lack the advantages of
an oxford education.
It also may be worthy Of note
that Joe Kirkwood,. who made the
Jumps with Hagen over the Kan
Raroo circuit on their tour Of Aus
tralasia, is picking Hagen for the
winner of the open without the
slightest attempt at privacy. In
fact, the only way to avoid hear
ing him pick Hagen is to leave
town.
OF course, a touring partner is
supposed to talk up the business
of the team, but, even consider
ing that Kirkwood is not without
a proper attitude Of bias in the
matter, he would seem to be sin
cerely impressed. He says that
Hagen's golf today is as good, If
not better, than he ever saw the
gentleman play. And the gentle
man has played full many a
round in his time that was Sor-
cery itself. = ..-
He is a bit of a pompous young
man, this Hagen, as clothes-con-
Scious as a floor walker and very
Sedulous in his addiction to what
he conCeives- to- be the Plplng
Rock technique. But, when the
mood is on him. he can play
golf far too we'll to be kept out
of the American open champion:
ship over an indefinite period OF
years.
The ueriOd now numbers
70 wears: as a matter of fact,
he has won only two national
open titles since first re came
to know prominence PACK III
1914.
t. NAV be significant that he
won both of these before TINS
man Jones took up the matter
of golf in a really serious way
think it is. It may be peru
nent, too, that while Hagen mas
won all of four British champion,
ships since 1922, he won a total
If none in 1926 and 1927. Why?
largely because golf doesn't make
allowance for more than one WIN
ner and this man Jones was
giving the British racket a play
In brief, Hagen is only the
man Who used to be the greatest
golfer in the world. Yet I don't
fhiI1k many will deny the affirm
alton that he alone mas Cne
scenius to meet Jones as man 70
man with more than a nominal
chance of living to nuture tne
kincident. and so. if he is as gooo
and as keen and as rested as
they say he is, the purposes OF
EHrama at the national open cham
snionship, starting on THURSDAY
win be distinctly the gamer Tor
AAIa fort