Evening star., 1937-05-26
PRO CHAMP TOLLS
AS OTHERS RELAX
On Green at Dusk at P. G. A.
Tourney After Nelson's
139 Gains Medal.
BY DILLON GRAHAM.
BY DILLON GRAHAM,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

BY DILLON GRAHAM,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
~ ITTSBURGH, May 26.-A tall,
- thin chap methodically raped
golf balls into the Pittsburgh
L Field Clubs twelfth hole as
dusk fell over the deserted links last
night. Grasshoppers and crickets
were his only companions.
The days qualifying round fire.
works In the Professional Golfers
Association championship were over.
The lucky players relaxed around
dinner tables. Those with scores too
high studied transportation schedules.
But one Of the games keenest putt
ers stroked ball after ball along
Zine" he could hardly see Denny
Shute was polishing an already fine
putting touch.
Must Have Finesse.
"A LMosT every golfer in the P. G.
A. tournament would gladly
trade putting abilities with Shute
and no questions asked But Cham
pion Denny who won the tournament
last year and faced Joe Turnesa,
Tuckahoe, N. Y, today in the first
Of two Sudden death" 18-hole match
play rounds, wasn't satisfied.
He must use finesse around the
carpets to Offset the longer distance
some of the big Differs get from the
tee. The Bostonian is frail-looking,
but he's wiry. There are no jerky
nerves in his frame and the fellows
figured he's as good bet as any one
to get to the final again.
Byron Nelson, who learned as a rail-
road clerk to keep on straight track
and has been off the fairways only
twice In 108 holes, tackled a master
match player in his first duel, pendu-
lum-putting Leo Diegel of Phila-
delph1a, twice champion.
Nelson's 139 Is Best.
NELSON picked up here where he
left of in Georgia a month ago.
He won the Augusta masters tourna-
acquainted at his new job and re-
turned to competition with the same
bristling game. Yesterday he tackled
II on his opening 68 for a 1879
total that won qualifying medal by
three shots. Nelson is youngster
hungry for fame and cash and he'll
take lot Of beating
Harry Cooper, the expert Chcagoan
who has won everything but a ma
tional crown, ran into Ben Richter of
st. Louis, the best left-hander golf
ever saw.
Cooper gave Nelson a chase for the
medal, but finished three blows short.
OF the 81 hopefuls that showed off
this morning only Is will be happy
tonight. First-round feature matches
brought together Lloyd Gulhckson,
Cleveland, and Open Champion Tony
Manero Of Peabody, Mass; Jug Nc
Spaden, Winchester, Mass, and Clar-
ence Clark. Bloomfield. N. j., and
Bill Mehlhorn. Louisville, and AL
Watrous. Birmingham, Mich.
Ryder Hopefuls Do Well.
THE II players who hope to make
the Ryder Cup team continued
yesterday to outshoot the stars al
ready sa1ect~I Tho f. " -ve~-
age Of those seeking four positions
stlll avallaole on the squad was 70
plus as against IS plus for the cuppers
With the 70 holes of the United |
States open next month still to be
considered. Nelson had a four-stroke |
lead over his rivals. The other con-
tenders and their scores:
Paul Runyan, White Plains, N. Y, !
McSpaden and KY Laffoon, Chicago,
l43; Ed Dudley, Philadelphia, and
Vic Ghezzi, Deal, N. j., 145; Sam
Snead, White Sulphur Springs, w.
Va, and Jimmy Hines, Garden City,
N. Y, l47; Olin Dutra, Los Angeles,
and Craig Wood, Rumson, N. j., 14s,
and Ralph Guldahl, Chicago, 151.
The scores of the cuppers: Henry
Picard, Hershey, Pa. 148; Shute and
Horton Smith, Chicago, 149: Manero
and Gene Sarazen. Brookheld Center,
Conn. 1853. and John Revolta, Evans
ton, ILL.,, 154.
JUNIOR WANTS TO PLAY.
Speed Cordua, a 15-year-old in