Evening star., 1933-06-11

green Dy Ills one ClOSc puISucI, JOl
tie insurance salesman and 23-y
Omaha, Nebr., today climbed on t
Open champion of the United Sta
After a phenomenal outburSt
dazzling juncture this afternoon
Open championship records to bit
dangerous slump with just enough
to stave off the closing rush of r
old professional of the st. Louis c
Goodman finished the 72-hole cham
pionship struggle with rounds OF 10
66-70-76, for a total of 287 that fell
only one stroke short of the all-time
championship record. Guldahl. six
strokes behind at the outset of the last
SO holes and behind with only Is JC
go, rallied superbly to take second place
with 76-7I-70-71-283.
Guldahls dramatic closing challenge
was the only thing that saved the
tournament from being turned into a
rout He picked up seven strokes On
six holes, as he reached the last turn
in 35 He needed another 35 to tie
Goodman, but he missed 3-foot putt
on the fifteenth to waste the first OF
his last big opportunities and he failed,
finally, to get down 4-foot putt on the
eighteenth green after a remarkable re-
covery from trap.
TT was a close call for the Nebraska
Il Game Cock" after he had all but
shot the tournament to pieces by
taking a six-stroke lead and then open
ed fire on the last round with 1872,
including an eagle and birdie. But
he pulled himself together after SIX
hole debacle to shoot the closing nine
within a single stroke of par. He proved
he was as game ss they come under
pressure He emerged with a big grin
from a Gordon of khaki-clad Marines,
after Guldahl's finish, to accept the
championship cup and gold medal, while
the top-prize money Of $1,000 went TO
his youthful st. Louis rival.
Today's spectacular victory for john
nv Goodman brought to climax the
career of struggling youth who set
out, like a golfng David, to take few
healthy wallops at the Goliaths OF the
game and finally succeeded, beyond the
fondest hopes of his partisans, after
i've meteoric seasons.
Four years ago.. at Pebble Beacn,
officials debated whether Johnny's anna
teur standing was jeopardized by MS
part-time work in a sporting goods store,
decided finally in his favor and then
saw him fash to fame by beating Bob
Jones in the first round of the National
Amateur Championship. That same
year he made his first start in the
national open and finished with 3l8
at Winged Foot, while Jones slaugh-
tered Al Espinosa in play-of Tor tne
title.
7 ESS than year ago Goodman's
IL record wasn't considered gooc
enough to give him a place on the
American Walker Cup team. That was
before he finished as low amateur In
fhe omen. tied for 14th. Subsequently
he sotlndly whipped a good share OF
the Walker Cup stars, including Capt.
Ouinet and reached the finals OF the
National Amateur, losing to Ross SOM
eryille of Canada.
weighing 80 pounds heavier and, by
his own frank admission, hitting
much longer ball than ever, Goodman
sailed into this tournament chocklul
of confidence and prined for the big
"kiIling" of his career. They didn't
mention his name seriously in the pre-
tournament speculation. Professionai
betting men stamped him 70 10 l
shot in a field of $50 OF the greatest
shot makers in America, led by the
double champion, Gene Sarazen.
There wasn't in fact much Tor
Omaha and the Goodman marching
and cheering section to root about afUer
Johnny finished the first round in 10,
seven strokes back of the seasoned,
brilliant Tommy Armour, who had
course record of 68. But from there on,
the slim, hatless youth from the great
American midlanos was the whole snow
MYTH the same nonchalance that
w marked his rise at ls to star
dom. Goodman coolly ripped the
North Shore course to ribbons with a
66. six under par, equalling the all
time tournament record and giving him
a two-stroke lead over the Taltering
Armour.
He came back on the third round
this morning with huge gallery
stampeding his course, to crack pal
again with a TO- On two rounds IN
succession he was eight under par. ano
well-nigh miraculous around the greens.
On each he took only 26 puts, 10 under
par for this speciality. Literally, the
Nebraskan Clipped and putted the
greatest of American professionals tc
rout.
This glittering streak lasted three
more holes, at the outset of the final
round. before Goodman struck the IN
evitable slump. Three under rar on
the fourth round, and nine strokes
ahead. Johnny made the mistake OF
trying to "coaSt" and had six bad holes
in a row before he regained control:
<The title might have slipped then ana
there from any one but this httle
gamester. From the rear came the
rumblings of the final pursuit, the last
charge of the professional cavalry, but
the gap was too big to close for all but