The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-05
OMAHA Y0UNCSTER
CONFIDENT He HAS
F|FTY.F|FYY CHANCE
Breaks" Play a Large Part
Says Walker Cup Star on
Return From England
PAUL RUNYAM FAVORED
72-Hole Test Begins Thursday;
Ralph CuIdahl Is Dark
horse Of Tourney

Philadelphia, June 5.-(P)-Given a
fair share Of the breaks, Johnny
Goodman, wo-headed Nebaska anna
teur, believes that he has a better
than fifty-fifty chance Of retaining
the national open golf championship.
The 72-hole test begging here Thurs
day.
Back twenty-four hours after six
weeks golf trip to England with the
American Walker Cup forces, Good
man listened carefully Tuesday to
reports that Gene sarazen said he
couldn't repeat and that betting men
had made him 20 to ! shot, and
then spoke his piece.
In the first place have my game
pretty well in hand" Johnny said.
Nov for Gene Sarazen and the
betting men. Any golfer, and this
goes for Sarazen, has to be lucky to
win an open championship. Sure it
takes good golf-four hot rounds, to
be accurate-to win. But you can't
overlook the matter Of 'breaks!'
I'm perfectly satisfied to match my
game with other fellows here, and II
the good Lord has his hand on my
shoulder as he did at Chicago last
year, believe I have swell chance
OF coming through again.
AS for the betting men, I don't
care how they rate me"
\ X \
Il you want sure bet in the ma
tional open this year, sink your roll
on Paul Runyan, White Plains, N. Y,
pro; II It's dark horse you're after.
bet your 59-cent bucks on Ralph Gull
dahl.
Picking winner in this golf classic
Is much more uncertain proposition
than guessing under which shell the
little pea rests. With $50 or more
pros and amateurs lined up to lay
siege to the title now held by Johnny
Goodman, it's terrific gamble.
So, much in the manner Of q kid
playing ''tit-tat-toe." we armed Alex,
the office boy. with pencil, blind
folded him, and let him stab away at
an entry list. The aforementioned
golfers were the result Of his stab
bling.
Old Dame Fate. when she guided
the pencil to these two names. indi-
Gated that this is to be the pros year
In the open at Merton Cricket club,
Philadelphia, June TO. The trophy
IS due to leave the amateur ranks
after q one-year residence.
Johnny Goodman paid for its board
and keep in 1888 when he won at
North Shore, Chicago. But in win
ming, Johnny was hard pressed by
Guldal1!, ST. Louis pro-
Goodman Off
Amateurs. while displaying good
golf In Walker Cup matches and in
the British amateur. don't seem to
have the stuff displayed last year.
Goodman apparently isn't playing the
inspired game he showed in 1888.
Dunlap, while reaching the semi
finals Of the British amateur. played
some rather sloppey golf In the early
rounds.
The outstanding simon-pure seems
to be Lawson Little, the kid who cop
ped the English classic.
Ono factor, however, may throw
him off hts game. That long trip
back to the United States may cayse
him 70 lose z lot Of his touch. He
won't have much time to round into
shape when he does get back here,
and that's going to hurt.
Runyan, on the other hand. has
been going hot all year. After tri-
umphant tour Of the winter circuit,
In which he finished as head man of
the pros, Paul came through to take
the recent Metropolitan open.
Missed Last Year
Last season, when Runyan was
first acquiring fame, he missed
chance at tho open title when an Of
ficial's error IN his score disqualified
him after the first round.
Merion Is q vastly changed course
since Bobby Jones won there In 1880.
Six Of the holes have been lengthen-
ed. and there's still that tough 18th
quarry hole over which champions
are made.
Runyan, who averaged II on all
sorts Of courses the last winter.
should not be overly handicapped by
Merton. Little, on the other hand,
may b. due to his long hitting.
So, Runyan to win, with the pos>
sibtlity Of Guldahl again coming to
the front as q dark horse. But re-
member, II all this turns out to be
dooey. blame Alex. the office bow.