Evening star., 1932-02-16

~HICAGO, February 16-
Walter Hagen still gets
~ the galleries. Drop in on
any of the Winter tourna-
ments, and wherever you find the
largest gallery you will find Wal
ter Hagen Immediately in its ad-
vance, bringing off fine shots,
staggering just a little and al
ways willing to joke with the
spectators at his own expense,
most times.
Hagen may be far out of the running
for whatever prize he may be compet-
ing but it makes no difference to the
mob. Like Jack Dempsey to the fight
followers, Hagen always is going to be
q champion to the fans of the fairways.
Has Confidence in Game.
Hagen believes he has good chance
to regain a championship or two this
Summer. Il am not playing well
enough now tc win major champion
ship" Walter declared some time ago,
"but If I go into training for any event
I think I can come close to winning" ="
Hagen does not take the Winter
tournaments seriously. He refuses to
strain and toll for them as so many of
his brother professionals do.
If he can win or get good slice of
the prize money, so much the better,
but Hagen worries none at all about
his Winter play. He follows the trail
from California to Florida because its
good business and helps the manufac-
bearing his name.
Hagen will tell you he has Won SO
championships since he became world
famous star back in 1914. He cannot
recall all his victories off hand. He
knows he has won two United States
opens; four British and five p G. A.
titles; one Canadian open-because he
annexed that last Summer and it was
the last of the major championships
metropolitans. THE others? well let's
call them State championships" said
the Haig when pressed to recapitulate
q bit further on his victories.
Wants British Open Again.
what championship am most eager
to win again?" mused Walter in reply
to that question. From a financial
viewpoint the United States open would
that title since 1919. Gosh, that's
long time. isn't it? But am very keen
to win the British open again That
would tie me with Jim Braid and Sandy
Herd. who have won five, and leave
Harry Vardon with six victories, the
only player with a better record in
British golf than my own. Another VIC
tory in Britain would certainly top off
my accomplishments very nicely"
From this it may be presumed that
Hagen will make dash for England
this Spring to compete in the British
open at Sandwich, although he has
made no announcement. If that is his
play you will find him speeding up his
game in March, preparatory to hitting
his best stride before he leaves for the
other side. Hagen putted quite well in
California tournaments, far better than
last year, and if his putting holds up
through the Summer he Will be a diff
cult man to stop, for his other shots
have the same power and perhaps more
accuracy than in other Gays when he
was winning titles.
Regards Young Golfers Fine.
Hagen thinks there is a great crop
of young golfers being developed in the
United States at present and cannot
see anything but continuation of our
supremacy in international matches.
He is particularly keen for the young
crowd that is playing through the
present Winter schedule and likes the
swing of Archie Hambrick, the Zanes-
vile, Ohio, professional
But Hagen also is of the opinion that
Horton Smith is going to come back
stronger than ever and become one of
the real stars of the future. Hagen
always has been strong for the Joplin
pine and never has quit on Smith, even
though Horton has run into many
stale spots IN his play
victory for Hagen in the British
or United States open would be tre-
mendously popular. But if he fails he
still will go along and the galleries will
go with him There's never been any
other quite like Hagen in golf and there
probably never will be another