Evening star., 1935-09-16
.HERE, in my opinion" re-
marked Walter Hagen. as
he pointed to Lawson Little,
Il "roes one of the great ALL

kkTHERE,1 IN my OPINION, re-
marked Walter Hagen, as
he pointed to Lawson Little,
Il goes one Of the great all
time champions Of golf. Not just
champion, but one who belongs among
the all-time tops"
Hagen should know. Just about 10
years ago he completed q match play
record that in many respects is the
finest any one man ever made. Through
six consecutive years in p G. A. cham
pionships against the finest profess
sionals in golf. Hagen won something
like as matches in a row.ss he picked
up 40 victories in 80 starts.
For two days Hagen had been fol-
lowing Little around the Cleveland
course, trailing his two all-day battles
against Johnny Goodman and Walter
Emery, who fought the California
champion to q standstill until the
two knockout punches came whistling
through detonations that Jared both
challengers OF the main trail.
Just what is your slant on Lttle7"
I asked Hagen In the locker room
after the final round.
HE comes about "a close to
having everything rs any star
ever saw" Hagen answered.
I'm the first place, he can hit the
ball q long way and keep 1t straight
along q narrow, well-guarded course
where one mistake might lead to o
9 or =. Little Is not only terrincally
long, but his control Is something
to marvel about"
LittIe's An-Around Game.
TN THE second place" the old
master continued, Ibis iron play
from the short pitch to the long ranges
is deadly. More important still. he is
one OF the best putters that ever step
ped on a green. He has o touch as
smooth as velvet"
"You don't have to tell me that" I"
Walter Emery. his Oklahoma oppon-
ent. cut in. II didn't mind being out
driven as or 30 yards. I was long
enough to get there on my own. It
was Lawson's putting that just about
killed me. I kept saying to myself.
This thing can't hold up. He can't
keep getting EN- ALL But that's
what he did.
"And I can tell you now that
great putter win break you
down quicker than fellow who
can pass you 20 yards from the
tee"
Hagen picked up the comment
again: Nov I'll give you the real
slant on Little's greatness as cham
pion golfer. He can concentrate on
every shot played all day long. I
know q lot of fellows who can make
long, straight drives-who are mas
tiers Of the iron-who also can putt.
But they can't keep on linking them
together on hole after hole through
round after round. Sooner or later
they crack and break up. Few can
take the mental beating that such
concentration demands"
That's the big point, Walter,
Bobby Jones cut In. II used to think
7 was hard worker through tourna-
n1ent and you were, TOO, Dut Lawson
Is the hardest worker I ever saw. He
never plays q careless or discouraged
shot. Even when he was dead tired
at the finish, he came through with
q birdie and an eagle and he finished
with one Of the best shots ever
looked at-that No. 8 spoon to q
52o-yard hole through keen cross
wind for his eagle s."
"I must admit that would have
played that one safe with q long
iron," Hagen said. But Little's con-
.fidence, his ability to concentrate, his
control over his nerves are above
anything I ever saw in golf.
He Ia ut his best In the middle
Of . storm, and the tougher II
gets the better he seems to like
II, and the surer he seems TO
be Of any shot he has 10 play.
THAT last spoon shot not only called
for boldness and nerve control, but
really fine mechanical skin to hold
that ball up In The wind blowing
scfoH the eoenpAs