Evening star., 1933-04-16
more SWAY URGED
| FOR MATCH TESTS
P. G. A. Tournament Seen
as Offering Best Analysis
for Committee.
BY FRANCIS J. POWERS,

IA - " ONVEAsSs
HCAGO, April 15.-Criti-
II ciSm OF the personnel Of
~ the Ryder Cup team Sc
lected by the Professional
Golfers Association for the in
ternational matches against Great
Britain at Southport, in June, is
quite futile. So long as the Ryder
Cup team is chosen by a Selection
Committee there is certain to be
criticism, for that method permits
of errors.
The British Ryder Cup team is chosen
by trial, and that is as nearly an ideal
method as can be found. The British
first nominate large squad of profess
sional stars and then stage elimina-
tions, by which the actual lineup Of
their team is chosen. Because of the
fact that our American players are
widespread, some coming from Califor-
mia. others from the Middle West and
more from the East, the system of trial
matches is more or less impractical be-
cause of the time and expense neces-
sary to stage such play. So to dat.
the P. G. A. has found the selection
by committee method the best system.
HOWEVER, the basis of selection by
i j the P. G.. A. Executive Committee
may be open to question. The
1888 Ryder Cup team was nominated
after vote by the 25 sectional presi-
dents and an exhaustive study by the
Executive Committee of the records of
the candidates for the last two years.
Obviously performance in medal-play
competition was the measuring stick by
which the players were judged.
While medal play Is admitted to be
the real test of golf, yet it is not al
ways accurate as gauge of match
play ability. And the Ryder Cup
matches are match play. singles and
foursomes. Match play demands a diff
ferent sort of temperament from medal
play and not every professional star
possesses the faculties to star at both
varieties of play. Even so great a
| golfer as Bobby Jones needed the sea-
became a star at match play. And
professionals who are weak at match
play are many.
Consequently believe the perform
ance OF professionals in the annual P.
@. A. championship should carry weight
IN the selection of the Ryder Cup team.
II the performance Of players in the
United States national open, the West
| tern and the metropolitan opens, cou-
pied with their record in the P. G. A.
championship, were taken as basis for
selection for the Ryder Cup team, there
could be little legitimate complaint and
| the abilities of the men in both types
OF competition would be clearly ascer-
tanned.
TOO much dependence should not be
L placed in the performance Of pro-
fessionals in Winter competition.
Some Of our very best and most con-
sistent stars have Jared poorly In VIM
ter competition and frequently some Of
| the topnotchers do not participate to
any extent In the off-season tourna-
ments. Billy Burke Is such a player.
and Burke's omission from the 1888
team Is the basis for most Of the criti
cism directed at the P. G. A. Burke is
| one player who stars at medal and
match play alike. He competed in only
| q few OF the 1882 Winter tourna-
ments and scarcely at all during the
| past Winter. AS result his record
was not very imposing when the P.
G. A. committee came to select the
Ryder team. Yet Burke unquestionably
Is one OF our most able professional
players.
The p. G. A. does not contend its
method Of selection Is perfect and in
fairness to that body it must be said
the executives are willing to accept any
| method guaranteed to be more equit-
able than the one it has been pursuing.
So it Is up to the critics of the P. g. A.
to produce better scheme of selection
before 1884. when the Ryder Cup
matches will be played in this country.