Evening star., 1937-05-24
SARAzEN G0LF|NC
TO UPSET CRITICS
Vet, Declared Fading, Among
ia Stars Opening Play
in P. G. A. Meet Test.
BY DILLON GRAHAM,
Associated Press Sports Writer,

H1TTsBURGH. May 24.-1t has
| - been Is years since a slender
little Italian youngster named
Sarazen scaled golf's heights
on Pittsburgh course. Today that
same Gene Sarazen, middle-aged and
plump. sought to reclimb the Ale
gheny foothills to another title.
Sarazen was one Of field Of ia
that started this morning in the first
ID holes Of the 36-hole qualifying for
the Professional Golfers Association
championship over the hilly Pittsburgh
Field Club layout.
Back in 1922, the diminutive ex-
caddy Won the national open. His
victory came as surprise and many
expected him to blow" few weeks
later when he played here for the P
G. A. crown. But the stout hearted
Roman firmly established himself as
front-rank golfer by winning. Since
then he's been threat in every tour
nament and has bagged another ma
tional open. British open and two
P. G. A. championships.
Saraxen Would Fool Critics.
7 ATEY Gene hasn't been scoring.
The 1884 Augusta masters tour
ney, which he won in a play-of after
his famous double-eagle brought him
a tie with Craig Wood, was his last
major triumph. Word has gotten
around among the professionals that
maybe Gene is fading.
So the veteran pro, who turned gen.
| tlemanfarmer on his Brookfeld Gen.
ter, Conn, estate. comes back TO the
scene OF his early glory to re-estab-
| lish himself
I'm in good shape and hope to
show the boys thing or two" Gene
smiled. The SO low scores over the
6,665-yard par 73 test for the 36 holes
will join Champion Danny Shute in
the match play rounds Wednesday.
Shute IS exempt from qualifying, but
will play in hopes OF winning the Alex
Smith Memorial Trophy.
L like this course" the Boston thin
man said. I've played quite a bit
lately and believe I'm ready to 60"
With one exception. Tom Creavy in
1881. the P. G. A. always has been
captured by one Of the professional
front runners, SO the experts looked
to the Ryder Cup members and con-
tenders and the former champions to
produce this years victory.
Fight for Ryder Cup Posts.
A LII the former champions since
1e20-except Creavy and Hagen,
who are touring abroad-are entered.
They are Sara1en, Paul Runyan, Olin
Dutra, Johnny Revolta, Leo Diegel
Shute and Tommy Armour.
The six Ryder Cup members already
selected are Sarazen, Revolta, Henry
Picard, Open Champion Tony Manero,
| Shute and Horton Smith. Others
named as contenders-to be selected
on their play here and in the national
open next month-are Byron Nelson,
Augusta masters winner; Jimmy
Hines, winner of the recent Metro
politan open; Craig Wood, Ed Dudley,
Vic Ghezzi, Harold McSpaden, Dutra,
KY Laffoon, Ralph Guldahl and Sam
| Snead.
Guldahl, who burned up the Winter
courses, and Sam Snead. the long
| hitting West Virginia rookie ace, who
yesterday won the $3.50 prize for long
est ball and longest average of three
shots in the driving contest, are pair
Of relative newcomers who may cut 4
pretty figure.
The big field got away at 10 am.
| Most Of the favorites started consid-
erably later. with Diegel, Picard and
Armour, the first Of the well-knovn
stars, to go of around 1890 am.