Evening star., 1938-07-16
SNEAD TOUGH FOE
FOR COOL RUNYAN
Sans Brute Strength Biq
Challenge to Fine Short
Game Paul Plays.
BY BILL BONI,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

SHAWNEE ON DELAWARE, Pa,
July l6.-Matched in todays 36-hole
final of the National p. G. A. CHAM
pionship at the Shawnee Country Club,
were the two golfers who, of all the
108 who teed off in last Sundays first
qualifying round. should provide as
interesting battle as any that could
have been prearranged.
One is Samuel Jackson Snead
carefree, likeable kid from West Vir-
ginia who, in his fourth national
championship in two years, has
chance at top prize for the second title.
The other is Paul Runyan, P. G. A.
champion four years ago, as serious as
a college professor every minute he's
on the course. and a man who has to
make up in accuracy the distance he
loses to the brute strength of sluggers
like Snead. .
That he does make up the distance
is evident from his money winning
record. Despite the fact he hasn't won
a major tournament since New Year
Day, Paul is seventh in the ranks of
tne money winners.
Runyan After Second Title.
In his last seven tournaments, in
cluding the Augusta Masters and the
National Open. he has finished no
worse than in a tie for seventh.
Snead was % under par for l65
holes and Runyan Is under par for
l67 at the start of today's match.
Runyan, probably as short hitter
as there is in the ranks of top-fiight
tournament players, has a game that
is adapted to his physical limitations.
A natural welterweight who has
dropped down near the lightweight
limit in six days of competition over
Shawnee's steaming flats, he has
swing that IS the nearest approach to
the finish OF hammer thrower's
wind-up.
He Is firm believer in the old
grammar school axiom that a straight
line is the shortest distance between
two points. Even his puts are straight.
Runyan, who gained a chance at his
second title by beating Henry Picard
yesterday. and 3, is hailed as one of
the games finest craftsmen.
Snead Takes Chances.
Where Runyan pins his hopes on
dead shot work all the way, Snead,
the years top money winner, puts his
trust in tee shots that whizz for
f1gurative miles and long irons that,
more often than not. drop hole-high
and within birdie putt range. In fact
Samuel Jackson. who was a surprise
hop' in this years u S. Open after
having finished second last year.
counts on his length to wear Runyan
down.
Though I know Paul is going to
give me a tough match, I'd rather
play him in the final than have to
play Jimmy Hines all over again" said
the man who edged out Hines on two
stymies and an eagle yesterday by l
up.
Jimmy kept pretty well up with me
off the tee, but I should be able to
leave Paul Jar enough behind so that
ne has to play long seconds to the
greenland long second is a lot
tougher to stick close to the pin than
a short one"
Paul Defeats Tough Ones.
That extra distance may, as Snead
expects. give him an advantage But
on Runyan's side is the fact that he
has beaten a tough man in every
round-Levi Lynch, Tony Manero Ray
Mangrum, Horton Smith and Picard
while Snead had Hines as his first
opponent of accepted caliber.
In addition there is the fact that
Paul has taken only two more holes
to lick his line up than did Snead-
but that was just another of the many
statistics that could be tossed out he
window as he boys teed OF this morn
ing.