Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-10
THREE BIG EVENTS
GROUPED |N.SEATE
Western Open, Ryder Cup
and NatlonaI. Open Play Set
for Successive Weeks.
BY FRANCIS J. POWERS.

- HICAGO, February 10. -
Three of the busiest weeks
4 golf has known in many
seasons are scheduled for
Ohio fairways and green's, COM
mencing June II. On that date
the Western open will be. launched
over the Miami Country Club,
Dayton, and fill a three-day span.
The Ryder Cup matches follow
at Scioto, Columbus, June 26 and
II, with the nationals open at In
verneSs, Toledo, climaxing the pro-
gram, July . to 4. After those
three tournaments Ohio should
be as famous for its divots as its
Presidents.
The grouping of the three events will
be great economic convenience.sto the
contestants. The professionals and crack
amateurs can compete in the two major
open championships of the country al
most at the price of one; and those
not engaged in the Ryderf Cup matches
can break the interim as spectators at
the international duel. d
Clubs Use Headw0rk.
The Western Golf Association made
o clever move in scheduling its cham
pionship Immediately in advance of the
international matches and national
open. In the past the Western usually
has been played in August with some
of the leading professionals absent on
other affairs. sse-..svr,-
This year the Western should attract
q field equal to that of the national
open, provided the British. Ryder Cup
team and such American professionals
as compete in the British open at
Carnoustie June lis are, able to reach
the sectional battle-ground 4
1t will be Dayton's first important
championship, but If the plans OF
George Klockson and Fred Young ma
terialize the city will be known for more
than mechanical cash boxes when the
last putt is canned Dayton has an ex-
cellent test of golf in the Miami
Country Club, and the Western should
put the siege gunners in excellent trim
for the nationak
Schedule Is Packed.
George Trautnnan, who is handling
details for the Ryder Cup matches, is
planning a fun week of golf for Co
lumbus. The competition to determine
be staged June % and %, and some
special events are being arranged to I'LL
the other intervening days before the
international matches begin. There Is
talk of a match between Tommy Ar
mour and Gene SaraZen, on the one
side, and Charlie Whitcombe and
Henry Cotton of England, on the other.
for one Of the open dates, but the event
has not been definitely scheduled.
business men expect to visit Great
Britain in April in the attempt TO Sc
cure the presence of some British no
tables at the matches An invitation
has been extended the Prince of Wales
and also the British Ambassador.
Scioto will be in much the same con-
dition as 1926, when Bob Jones won
the national open there with one OF
the greatest finishes ever recorded in
golf. That Summer ,Scioto became ia
NOUS for its rough, and many tales
were told of its jungles. The tall,
dank Ohio grass had nearly all Of the
professionals in a state of panic until
one Of them approached Walter Hagen.
Couldn't See 1t.
ssWhat do you think Of that terrible
rough, Haig?" asked the fellow who had
spent most of the afternoon roaming
In the wastelands. Hagens distracted
gaze wandered across the Scioto plains
for a second and then he replied:
what rough?"
Thereafter the young men played
more golf and did less complaining.
Trautman intends inaugurating the
Johnny Walker Cup tournament prior
to the Ryder matches. That win be
for members of the press, screen and
officials Of the golf association. Traut-
man, having had intimate association
with members of all three groups, win
not stage the tournament at Scioto,
since some vestige of fairway will be
required for the international play.
Robert T. Jones, now member of the
screen guild, will be invited to COM
pete and it is suggested that he be
started with minus Is handicap. Just
once it would be a pleasure to write
about that guy finishing some place
other than first.