The Washington times., 1931-12-26
QUEEN
Of WOMEN
PLAYERS

It took four men in 1881 to &C.
complish what Bobby Jones did in
1890.
Billy Burke captured the Ameri-
can open, Francis Ouimet the
American amateur, Tommy Ar.
mour the British open. and Eric
Martin-Smith the British amateur.
Impressive as we're the victories
of the men in the four major
tournaments, none was more
popular than that of Helen
billie" Hicks, who dethroned
Glenna Collet Ware for the ma
tional women's title. Mrs. Ware
won the title in 1928, 1929 and
1890.
Burke and Won Elm
The American open was in
many ways the most sensational
championship tourney ever played
in this country. Burke and
George Won Elm, the business
man golfer" tied at 292 over "
holes played over the Inverness
course at Toledo, in terrific heat.
On the 36-hole playoff Burke
and Won Elm again tied at 149,
making another playoff neces-
sary. This time Burke won, 148
to 149. T. Phillip Perkins, Of
New York, with 297, made the
best showing of the amateurs
in the open.
The National Amateur. held at
the Beverly Country Club, out
side of Chicago, provided the
most sensational comeback in
the history of American golfdom
and made such trite expressions
as youth will be served" and
they never come back" fit sub
jects for the receptacle of coal
residue.
Repeats 1914 Victory
In defeating Jack Westland 6
up and 5 to play in the 36-hole
final, Francis Ouimet duplicated
his feat of 1914 when he beat
Jerome Travers by the same
score. Consider that there were
139 starters in this simon pure
event and that the majority Of
them had to qualify in sectional
tournaments, and Ouimet's vic
tory is all the more amazing.
Once again Americans domi-
mated the British open with
Tommy Armour taking the
honors with an impressive 297.
Jose Juardo, of Argentina, who
missed a three-foot putt on the
last hole, was second with 297.
Percy AlliS, of Germany, and
Gene Sarazen were tied for third
with 29S, while Johnny Farrell
and Macdonald Smith, with 299,
were tied for the next. place.
Armour's victory gave the United
States the tenth British title in
II years.
The British amateur of 1881
had but little interest to Ameri-
cans. The fact that Eric Martin
Smith defeated John de Forest
for the title.
YOungster Takes P. G. A.
Probably no victory of 1881 was
more surprising than that of Tom
Creavy, the 22-year-old Albany boy
who came through strong field.
including Walter Hagen, Gene
Sarazen and the other. old pro-
fessional standbys to win the
P. G. A. title.
The Americans won surpris-
ingly easy victory, nine matches
to three, in the Ryder Cup match
between pros. Walter Hagen, cap
tanning the American team
against the British, won his
match, 4 and 8. Other American
pros who repelled the invaders
were Farrell, Cox, Wood, Espi-
nosa, Burke, Sarazen and Shute.
Hagen proved hat he is not yet
a back number by taking the
Canadian open, but thereafter his
playing in the major tournaments
failed to impress.
Collegiate Champion
One of the few to repeat 1880
success in 1881 was George Dun
lap, Of Princeton, who took the
intercollegiate title for the Sec
ond year in succession.
The public links championship
went to Charles Fenora, st.
Paul steel worker. More interest
was manifest in this event than
ever before, especially since the
runner-up was 15-year-old Joe
Nichols.
The so-called balloon ball. which
was official during the 1881 cham
pionship play, will be discarded in
1882. The United States golf as
sociation decided to retain the
present size of the ball, but to in
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