Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-06
WESTLAND BEATEN
BY VETS PUTTING
Winning of Amateur Title
by Bostonian, Aged SO,
Stirs U. S. GoIfdom.
BY ALAN GOULD,
Associated Press Sports Editor.


n EvERLY COUNTRY CLUB,
X Chicago, September S.
- Nearly a score of years after
he wrote one of the most
thrilling and romantic chapters III
American golf history, Francis
Ouimet today completed a spec
tacular comeback by regaining
the amateur championship of the
United States.
The 38-year-old Boston veteran,
as popular a figure as ever STROBE
the links, conquered Alfred j.
(Jack) Westland, Chicago's district
champion, to recapture the crown
he last wore away back in his
youthful prime of 1914,
Ouimet's victory in the final round
6 and 5. duplicated the margin by which
he defeated the great Jerome D. Travers
at Manchester, VT, IT years ago.
Placing the veteran en- the pedestal OF
Arerican amateur golf from Nhich
Robert J. Jones, jr, stepped intos re-
tilement. the triumph struck chord OF
national enthusiasm such as have lew
golfing events since Francis himself. IN
1918 first sprang to fame by beating
Ted Ray and Harry Vardon for the
open championship.
The 1881 championship final, over
a course in which par was equalled or
beaten only twice all week long, was
not particularly thrilling. Nor was IT
marked by display of superlative golf,
except in the few spots in which Ouimet
gave gallery of $500 spectators an
exhibition OF the shot-making skill
that made him virtually world cham
pion at the age of 20. Francis had
entirely too much experience behlnd
him, from which to benefit; too much
control at the critical stages and too
much skill on the green's for the game
and capable Chicago star to offset.
Victory for Experience.
1t was a great victory for experience
in a tournament which from the out
set was overrun by the golfing youth
of the land. Ouimet was the Oldest OF
all the 80 qualifiers, by far the most ex-
perienced and the only former cham
pion to get into the match play bat
tie. In five successive matches the
Bostonian took the measure of five OPP
ponentS who averaged less than % years
of age HIS hardest conquest was over
the 19-year-old boy wonder" from
Richmond, Billy Howell, who carried
Ouimet to the thirty-fifth hole before
yielding in the semi-finals.
After his 1914 conquest and prior to
this tournament, Ouimet had reached
the semi-finals six times. Once ne
got to the final, in 1920, only to be
turned back by Chick Evans. With
the big goal in sight again today, the
veteran lost no time Selling and keeping
command of the battle.
Ouimet was 4 up before Westland
had chance to shake of his prelimi-
nary feeling of nervousness. inspired by
his first appearance in a national cham
pionship final. Seven holes were under
the bridge before Jack emerged from
his streak of wildnesS to make the only
really serious threat to the Bostonian's
lead.
Margin Cut in Half.
Over a stretch of six holes. Westland
cut Ouimets margin in half. from up
to 2. at the thirteenth hole. Ouimet had
taken three puts on two greens. He
had been forced to negotiate a full
stymie with his niblick on the eleventh
to save a han. He was in a trap to
lose the thirteenth. 1t looked as though
WeSIIdllu IIllSIlI lIuc lllC IlCoU VA AAAS
rally into the lead.
Ouimet's putter came to his rescue
at this critical stage, he holed Is
footer to win the fourteenth. canned
one from + feet to capture the fifteenth
hole and then made the greatest re-
covery of the day to halve the sixteenth.
on this 44-yarder, into the wind,
Francis hooked his drive under tree
and was forced to play a safety shot,
while Westland got home nicely in two
good pokes. Ouimet carried a hillside
and several traps to reach the green,
but was 25 feet beyond the pin. with
a downhill putt on a tricky surface,
with Westland dead" for his 4,
Francis hit his putt crisply and it went
true to the cup. bouncing around the
edge before dropping, while the crowd
let loose a wild roar
Restores Ouimet's Confidence.
This stroke, heart-breaking for the
slim Chicagoian, was of vital importance
in restoring Ouimet's full confidence.
He made a great recovery from the
rough, back of the green, to win the
seventeenth with par 8. and easily
got his half at the home hole to finish
the morning round up.
1t was give and take, in the high
wind of the afternoon round, but at
no stage did it appear Westland had
chance to do more than extend the
match Although Ouimet dropped the
nineteenth he came back to capture
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