Evening star., 1934-01-06
.HOUGHTONASSURED
OF COIN FOR PRIZES
Pro at KenWood Would Have
All of Capitals Paid
Clan Eligible.
BY w. r. McCALLUM.

~ ly will leap to the con-
cluSion that the young
man is getting ready to measure
himself for another halo, but it
is a fact nevertheless that AL
Houghton, the Kenwood pro, and
kingpin of the pelf and glory
hunters among the paid golfers
hereabouts, is getting ready to
spring another open tournament
on the golf world of the Capital.
Holder Of the Maryland open cham
pionship the past two years, winner
of many informal sweepstakes events
held by the Middle Atlantic pros and
chief galllvanter among the local paid
gentry who seek money and laurels in
tournaments outside the immediate
jurisdiction surrounding the Capital,
Houghton has put to himself the ques-
ton: Why is there not a District Of
Columbia open championship held an
nually?"
The young man is not one TO ask
himself questions without a reply forth
coming by return mail, SO AL an
nounces today that one of the en-
thusiastic golfing gents at Kenwood-
one of few with several hundred dol
lars TO kick around-has agreed to
put up the necessary cash for such
a venture this year.
NTOW Houghton, not wishing to see
Y such a tournament played on his
own course, where he could spot
the balance of the field a couple Of
strokes to the round and lead 'em home
with strokes to spare. proposes that the
battlefield shall be some neutral course,
that is course which would be neutral
to every one but the home pro, who
also would be by way of letting himself
in for a licking, in all probability.
But if some other course is not pre-
pared to handle the tourney Al is GER
tain he can coax the good folk at
Kenwood to let he and his pals uss
the course for such a tournament.
Houghtonis ideas so far on the Dis
trict open are somewhat nebulouS. But
he knows that he can get 5000 OF
$500 for prize dough for such a tourna-
ment, and he realizes also that If such
important money were put up for
little scramble among the local pro-
fessionals it would in all truth become
a District Of Columbia open cham
pionship
Al is altruistic also. He realizes that
Davie Thomson and Danny Burton,
pros at Washington Golf and Cosntry
Club and the ArmyNavy Club are
not eligible to play in the Maryland
State open-biggest sectional profess
sional event hereabouts-so he proposes
that they play in the forthcoming Dis
trict open. And to secure official sane
ton for the tourney, he also proposes
I,1% r+rfa -11E fnfT Tnya n1-
ready burdened with the cares and
worries Of handling four tournaments
a year. should handle the new tourna-
ment also.
1t would be either a 54-hole affair
or 72-hole tourney, depending on the
wishes of the lads who play in it, IN
Houghton'S opinion. For Al is gen.
erous gent. If it is at "a holes he prob
ably won't win by more than five
strokes, while if it is played over the
72-hole route his winning margin may
be heightened to eight or nine.
ALL of which is predicted on the
n presumption that the gent In
question keeps up his winning
ways. Certainly he has proven ovel
the past three years that he is ths
best Of EN- all locally, for the record
speaks for itself.
You can't go behind the scores and
trot out a winner. You've got to &C
by the record, and in the last three
National Capital open tournaments
Houghton has led the local delegation
In 1881 he finished away down II
tenth place, at the top of the Wash
ington professionals. In 1882 hi
jumped up to sixth, again in the van
of the local entrants, and in 1888 hi
slid up to a third-place tie, again top.
ping the local lads
The District open may turn out H
be a parade led by Al Houghton, but
at least it will give an opportunity tt
find out who is the second best pro-
feSsional golfer hereabouts.
That it will be held is practically
certainty, and if the District Golf AS.
Sociation doesn't want to bother with
it, the pros can get together amonl
themselves and play for the dough
Three hundred dollars is importan
money for the boys nowadays.