Evening star., 1938-07-24
G0ES8 UNDERPAR .
ON TOUGH COURSE
Enters Final Round Today
With 4-Stroke Margin.
Strings d Birds.
BY EARL HILLIGAN.
BY Associated Press Sports Writer

nS hssociHted PreSS sports Writer.
CHICAGO, July 23.-Golf's sensa-
tional sophomore, "Slammin' Sam
snead, slapped his brand on the game s
ell-time record book today.
Almost burning up Olympia Fields
dift1cult No. l course, the 26-year-old
star from West Virginia scored an
eight-under- "a to spread-eagle the
hrst-round field in the $1,000 Chicago
Open championship.
Raking the layout with eight brides
and never going over regulation figures,
Snead turned in what veteran OBJ
servers described as the greatest round
fof golf ever played on championship
course.
Snead's amazing performance made
him a standout favorite to come
through tomorrow's 36-hole final round
and add first money of $500 to the
$7,ll2 he captured to top money VIM
ners for the year. Going out in "a,
two under par, he took the home nine
apart" with a SiX-under-par 30 and
gained a four-stroke margin over his
nearest rival, Ky Laffoon OF Chicago,
who had rounds of 35-33-68.
Three years ago, in the Western
Open at Davenport, Iowa, big Ralph
Guldahl scored "a, but it was agreed
generally today that the 6,357-yard No.
l Olympia Fields test was more severe
than the one Guldahl passed in Iowa.
Fred Corcoran, P. G. A. tournament
manager. said he adjudged Snead's
round the greatest in the games
history"
Bags Four Birds in Row.
Snead, who came out of White
vSulphur Springs. w. Va, just 20
months ago to blast his way into a top
spot among the Nations greatest fair
way stars, birdied the fourth hole,
clipped par on the ninth, tenth,
eleventh and tewelfth holes, then con-
tinued his hot approaching and putt
ing to get brides on the fifteenth and
sixteenth.
A 20-foot putt gave him a par on
the 17th after his drive was in the
rough and his second hit trap.
When he reached within foot Of the
cup on the home green in only three
strokes and easily got his eighth
birdie. the gallery Of $500 persons
gave him q roaring salute.
Gene sarazen of Brookfeld Center,
lnfoV,Iir~ oho NJ
assured Of place among the 48 low
professionals and "a low amateurs,
plus ties, who qualified for Sundays
SO holes. This grind winds up
tournament originally scheduled for
u holes, but reduced to 81 when Fri
days storm cancelled one round.
Sarazen had q 10 on the No. l
course, as did his playing partners,
Wilford Wehrle, Racine, Wis, amateur,
and Ray Mangrum Of Oakmont, Pa.
Harry Todd Of Dallas, Tex, and Jack
Hoerner Of Chicago also carded 70s
to share with Wehrle the low amateur
honors for the No. / layout.
HAGEN Turns in "a.
Ed Dudley Of Philadelphia and Tony
Renna Of Dayton, Ohio. carded IT'S
on No. /. while Ralph Guldahl, Ma
ton Open champion, scored a u.
Among the 73 shooters were Lawson
Little Of San Francisco, Willie Goggin
of San Bruno, Calf; Webb Gilbert Of
Topeka. Kans.; Herman Keiser OF
Springfield. Md, and Don Armstrong,
Aurora, Ill
Walter Hagen. returning to major
competition after two years Of globe
trotting, scored "a, as did Horton
Smith and Tommy Armour Of Chi
icago.
On the par 10 No. course, where
scores ran higher, the pace was set
by Bert Montressor, veteran pro from
Decatur, ILL.,, who had rounds OF "a
1910, with five brides. Dave Tosh
of Chicago and Leonard Dodson OF
Springfield, Md, had Ills. Bill Helm
lein OF Indianapolis. Dick Metz Of
Chicago and Floyd Farley, Oklahoma
City, were in the u class.
Leland Gibson, Kansas City, ANA
teurs Gus Moreland of Peoria. ILL.,,
.tand Alex Welsh. jr., of Rockford, Ill.
and Harry Cooper of Chicago were
among those carding 73.