Evening star., 1939-07-30
Mill Hand PLAYS
36.Ho|e Final
In Even Par
Beaten Coast Player
Makes Fight After
He Is ; Down
BY WALTER McCALLUM,
Star STAFF Correspondent.

Dy VNhL En- N1CSALLUM
Star Staff Correspondent.
BALTIMORE, Md, July 29.-Pon-
derous, plodding Andrew Szwedko,
3l-year-old father of a 3-weeks-old
baby, is the new king of public links
golf in the United States.
Two-hundred-pound Andrew,
fellow who has no professional golf
ambitions and who calls himself
Just hacker" won the champion
ship over the Mount Pleasant course
here today in breath-taking finish,
licking tousel-haired Phillip Cor
don, Oakland (Calif), insurance
clerk, up on the 36th green of a
flnal round that had a gallery of
1000 persons hanging on the ropes
until the final putt.
The new champion, a phlegmatic,
unimpressive-looking fellow with a
magnificent putting touch, fought
of final nine rally by the smooth
stroklng Gordon to win the crown
on the last hole by sticking a 15-foot
putt dead to the cup. Gordon, who
had fought back from a deficit of 3
down as he entered the final nine,
conceded the putt and the victory.
Plays Final 36 in Par.
mo, haven't any pro ambitions"
said Szwedko. as he hastily changed
his clothes for the presentation of
the Standish Cup after his win. The
new champion donned a clean shirt
and necktie and finally doffed the
sweat-stained cap he had worn for
six days.
He played the SO holes Of the
final round today in 73-7l-144,
which is level par for the Mount
Pleasant course.
Szedwko is a pipe mill worker in
Pittsburgh, and about as far re-
moved from the colorful figure of
golf champion as you could find.
He is plodder who keeps showing
the ball up into the middle of the
green. He drives a long way down
the middle and always plays the
safe game. But he can be brilliant
on occasions as he was midway of
the forenoon round when he bagged
a birdie and an eagle on consecu-
tive holes to square a match that
seemed lost.
For Gordon, a scrappy 22-year-
old with keen face and a set of
dimples, had turned up and had
won the 18th hole to 20 2 up.
Szwedko's reply was birdie on the
18th and an eagle on the 14th.
Winning the 17th with a par 3 he
squared the match again and they
went to lunch all even.
Gordon Battles Gamely.
Not to be denied. the Unconditional
Szwedko won the first two holes of
the afternoon engagement, dropped
22d and won the 23rd with a pin
seeking iron shot. And then won
the 9th to turn 3 up.
But Gordon hadn't quit fighting.
He shanked his iron shot to the
short 18th. but got a half with a
20-foot putt. Then he bounced off
Szwedkos ball to win the 3Oth with
a birdie 8, lost the 31st and then
canned another 20-footer to win the
3d. leaving him down.
Hitting an iron second through a
tree, he holed a 5-footer to win the
33d while an enthusiastic Balti-
more gallery of 1000 persons
whooped and howled at his come
back.
But Szwedko, as Unconditional as
an oak tree, just kept showing them
up around the cup. Gordon's putt
to square at the 34th barely missed
and they halved the next two holes
in par, giving Szwedko a / up win
ming margin.
The new champ is one of those
annoying men who won't miss a
shot. A good hitter from the tee,
he plays what they call safe" golf.
He aims for the middle of the fair
way and the middle of the green,
and he seldom misses. And he can
chip and putt. He has a good golf
swing and he knows his way around
any golf course.
Winner Strictly Dark Horse"
A semi-finalist is the 1887 cham
pionship, and quarter finalist last
year, Szwedko was strictly a dark
horse this year, quoted at some
thing like 80 to l in the betting
books before the tournament start
ed. But he came through like q
champion.
Turn PROF." asked the new cham
pion. why should I do that? I
saw plenty of those fellows in the
last two open championships, starv-
ing to death. I've got a good job
there in Pittsburgh bending pipe
and it pays off every week. AS
golf pro I'd probably starve. So why
should think about getting a pro
job"
He revealed that he had been
offered pro berth at Pittsburgh
club last spring and had turned it
down. I'm just a hacker" he said.
Il was lucky to win.
my toughest match? That Arm
strong was tough, but I think this
boy Gordon was tougher. He never
quit, and I never felt 1 had him
until the last hole"
The cards: