Evening star., 1932-08-04
CLASH OF CHAMPS
! SET FOR AUGUST e
TO Play Over Two Courses
In New England, Brae Burn
and Winchester.
BY WALTER r. McCALLUM.

" little bit of the golfing
"A East are all steamed up over
the forthcoming challenge
match between Francis Ouimet,
national amateur champion, and
Gene Sarazen, American and
British open champion, ard the
first professional golfer to hold
these twin titles in the same year.
The match has been set for Au-
gust % and will be played over
two courSes-those of Winchester
and Brae Burn, the latter where
Bob Jones won one of his amateur
titles back in 1923.
Sarazen has just concluded tour
of the West with Tommy Armour as
a partner, transforming through the
tank towns and picking up a few stray
dollars toward that $3.50, 900 guarantee
made to him by Ray Mccarthy. Up
in Boston the good folks of the Old
Bay State think Ouimet is Just about
the smootlest piece of golfing ma
chinery ever to come along. They
admit that Francis couldn't beat Bob
Jones, but they think he can beat
Sarazen. And to bolster up their hope
they point to ouimets recent, victory
won from field which included john
ny Farrell Phil Perkins, Bob Cruick-
shank, Olin and Morty Dutra and
most of the men who furnished the
early opposition to Sarazen in the
National Open.
EOR some years there has usually
J. been some opportunity to pit the
best amateur Of the year against
the leading professional, or the holder
Of the British Open against the Ameri-
can Open. In the latter case Sarazen
holds both titles, and he can't fight
himself without pulling his punches
But he can and will compete against
the leading amateur, the man who has
stepped into the brogans of Bob Jones.
winch leaves the question an open
one: IF Ouimet does beat SaraZen.
what of 1t? Can Ouimet then be
called the unofficial champion of the
world?"
Back in 1921 Jock Hutchison started it
when the then British open champ played
Jim Barnes, the American title holder.
They carried it on later with Hagen.
the British open champion, meeting
and beating Jones in a match at Sara
sofa, which undoubtedly helped to sell
some Florida real estate Later Barnes
met Willie MacFarlane in a match for
the world title" when both held ma
tional championships, and now it is
on again in the scheduled meeting be-
tween Sarazen and Ouimet.
The beSpectacled BoStonian will not
be without his supporters, even outside
his home bailiwick, for Ouimet has a
hon 1f III I,a-A -,
the toughest going. And particularly
just now he is better golfer than he
has been for some years. Golf glasses
and a gain in weight have helped |
Ouimet. He is not the same old
Francis who used to tire quickly under
the strain of SO holes of tough COM
petition.
M PARKER NOLAN, the Congress
4V1s sional "Seige Gun" who hits the
ball as far as any amatuer
around Washington, has reached the
top of the club ladder" which is be-
ing set up this year as an incentive to
promote matches between the star
golfers of the club. For time Nolan
. was far down the list. but by success
sive victories over Melvin Bennett.
Luther Steward and Jack McCarron,
his name now heads the list
G G. RED WATKINS of Columbia
~ doesn't claim to be able to pick
winners on the race track with
any degree of consistency, but he made
one good guess last Winter and as a
result Watkins now is the possessor
OF fine set of clubs autographed by
Bobby Jones, gift from some friends
who think Red" is a great race horse
dopeSter. 1t all happened in this way:
Last Winter Watkins was in New
York, talking with some sportively in
clined friends who wanted to lay a
wager on the Kentucky Derby in the
Winter books and didn't know wn"t
horse to bet on. 1t happens that Res
has some relatives who know "Cunnell"
Bradley of Kentucky fame, owner of
Burgoo King. The good "Cunnell"
thought his horse was just about the
finest piece of horse flesh in the State
and told the folks SO. And Red"
spread the good word to his New York
King hook, line and Sinker.
Along came Derby day, and Burgoo
King romped home at juicy price. In
the Winter books the price was some
thing in the neighborhood of 80 to l
against the Kentucky 3-year-old And
the other day Red" was in New York
talking with the same friends whom he
had told about Burgoo King They
couldn't do enough for him. To hear
'em talk you'd have thought Red" was
a first-class railbird, a clocker who
watched the ponies gallop every morn
ing and had a real line on how they
ran to form.
Watkins is just a casual horse-race
fan. Like many other Washington golf
ers he goes to Laurel or Bowie once in
a while, but as for form in race horses,
he disclaims any knowledge of it. But
he has Just happened to hit one in
Burgoo King, and his friends now won't
believe that Red" doesn't get 'em right
out of the feed bag.
Anyhow, after the jubilation follow
ing the pay-off was over they wanted
to do something substantial for
watkins. So they all Clipped in and
bought him a full set of golf clubs,