Evening star., 1939-06-10
Champ Expected
To Make Great
Stretch Drive
Poce-Setting Sneod
Four-Putts Green
But Bores On
BY WALTER McCALLUM,
Star Stan Correspondent.

PHILADELPHIA, June lO-Early
this afternoon 10 or a dozen of golf
men will face the last nine holes in
the national open golf champion
ship, and begin tossing the bauble
around among themselves. 1t hap
pens every year Any one who has
oeen around open championships
Tor quite stretch knows that it
isn't always the best golfer who wins,
but the man who can finish. And
on that basis it looks to be Guldahl
again. even though rambling Ralph
started today's twin rounds-the
final rounds of the 72-hole stretch
five shots behind Sammy Snead, the
leader.
There's only one thing that could
make Guldahl more bitter than the
loss OF the championship he cher
lshes so highly. That one thing is TO
have Sam Snead succeed him Is the
champ. They are stablemates in the
sense that they work for the same
links equipment outfit. they have
played exhibitions together. and yet
Guldahl doesn't lose any sleep pulling
for Sam to succeed. You notice it ONLY
in little ways, like the time yeSter-
day when Ralph heard that Sam
had four-putted the 18th green. and
Guldahl said, Il hope it's more than
a rumor, and in guarded remarks
by the Guldahl supporters. But it's
there just the same Putting the
whole picture together you gather
that only one thing could sour
Guldahls soul more than to lose
his championship and that is to lose
1t to Samuel Jackson Snead of the
Hot Springs Sneads.
Jackson Due to Fall.
Yet that same Samuel Jackson,
the slim-hipped boy they call the
hillbilly, is strictly the guy to lick
as the 66 assorted golfers left in the
43rd open championship fail away
at par today. Samuel Jackson. in
case you haven't heard. started the
final day of the open championship
with 139 strokes for the first two
rounds behind him, one shot ahead
of rejuvenated Horton Smith. the
wonder boy of 1929. another shot in
front of Craig Wood and out in
front Of lot of other good golfers.
including Guldahl who is bracketed
at l44, down in a tie for llth posi-
tion. But Guldahl, with his reputa-
ton and his undoubted ability as a
flnisher. still remains the gent to
lick. He has something the others
don't seem to have Call it what
you will-sheer golf ability, the
champions luck. or any other name
and you still have to regard Robot
Ralph as the man to beat.
But can he spot Sam five strokes
in two rounds of golf and win?
He can't on the basis of their per-
formances so far. Sam has played
two rounds of the Philadelphia
Country Club course in 139 strokes,
which is one shot worse than par.
Ralph hasn't been within hailing
distance OF par on single round
vet. Sam four -putted a green yes
terday and still finished with II.
Ralph putted like chump and fin
ished with 73, holing 28-footer
and his only careless putt of the
round. for bird 4 on the final green.
Compare the two and you can't find
anything but Snead.
Yet Guldahl hasn't shown the
golf with which he won the last
two open championships. He hasn't
been around par yet. And he isn't
accustomed to being cuffed around.
He has hot round or two coming
up, and today-if ever-is the time
to produce. You have to figure
him one, two, three in any calcula-
ton.
Others Have a Chance.
Sure there are others in there
with chance Horton Smith. play
ing good golf for the first time in
two years. was only shot back of
Snead with 72-68-140 as the third
started today. Craig Wood. the big
better from Winged Foot and one
OF COLTS hard-luck men. had 141.
Denny Shute, the human ice berg.
and Marvin Ward, the long-hitting
(See GOLF, Page A-17l