Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-15
HELD TO Be MOST
IMPROVED PLAYER
His 1910 on Final Day of
Open Is Testimony of
Il Marked Ability.
BY FRANCIS ]. POWERS.

"OR the most improved golf
r. er of the year we nominate
l. Mr.. T. Phillip Perkins of
New York. You may recall
Mr.. Perkins as the clerk who won
the British amateur championship
In 1898 and then came to the
United States as member of his
country's Walker Cup team. In
the singles Of the Walker Cup
matches and the finals of the
United States amateur champion
ship, Perkins was unfortunate
enough to have Robert T. Jones
as an opponent and in both in
stances gave splendid portrayal
of a mug at golf.
Perkins saw enough of the United
States on his first visit to like the
country and our people. Disguised with
the chill put on him by his fellow
members of the British Walker Cup
team and seeing the United States as
the land of opportunity, he returned
and secured himself a position. He
quickly learned that in America a par
shooting clerk is far more important
in golf championship than a mil
lionaire duffer and soon began to get
some confidence in himself.
Shows Steady Improvement.
From month to month hts golf has
improved. and when the final tabula-
tions were made in the national open
at Inverness, T. Phillip Perkins was
the ranking amateur in the field with
a total of 297. In fact Perkins ITO
for the final So holes of the champion
ship was the best golf fired on that
day. Perkins has heightened and
Strengthened his drives, he has improved
his approaches and stabilized his put
ting Right now Mr.. T. Phillip Perkins
is quite a candidate for the national
amateur championship at Beverly, Chi
cago late in August
Should Perkins ever win the ma
tional amateur, he will join Walter
Travis. Harold Hilton, jess Sweetser
and Bobby Jones as the only men to
have worn the amateur crown OF the
two nationals. 1t would be nice re-
venge on the crowd that tilted noses
whenever T Phillip came around the
premises.
It is very peculiar but true that al
most every British golf player has been
able to improve his game after emf
grating to the United States. Tom
Armour was just a fair player when he
came over in 1920, but during the past
five years he has won every major
championship for which professional
may compete. Bobby Cruickshank and
Willie Hunter came to the top only after
finding a home in America. And you
h may hear much from Charlie Lacey
9another young Briton, who has been
in this country only few years.
Would Be Big Assets.
The British, despite the barriers Of
social caste, must look with regret upor
the achievements of their lost sons
What a team Briton could send against
the United States If Armour. Cruick-
shank, Perkins and Hunter were still
playing under the Union Jack, either
as amateurs or professionals. With
them available United States victories
would be made more diNlcult, to say
the least.
Another good British amateur who
remained at home but turned profess
sional because of necessity Is Bert Hold
son, youngest member OF the Ryder
. Cup team that recently lost to the
United States. Hodson Is the boy who
beat Francis Ouimet in the British
amateur at Deal in 1928. Hodson Is the
makings of a fine player, given the OPP
portunity. Sid Roper, the Nottingham
artisan, who gave Jones such battle
at st. Andrews last year and went to
the semi-finals at Westward Ho! this
Spring, also may soon be lost to Britain
Sidney wants to find a professional
berth in America, and it is likely he
will be accommodated sooner or later.
British golf appears to be at a
etandstill insofar as the development
of good, young players is concerned
and the United States should be able
to win both the Walker and Ryder CUP
matches for some years to come.