The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-06-09
TRAP SHOT BY
 SNEAD SECURES U. 5. OPEN LEAD
Scored Birdie From Trap; Guldahl Still BOokies'
 Choice
BY HARRY FERGUSON United Press Sports Editor)

Philadelphia, June 9.-(UP) The axe falls today on 100 doomed men in the national open golf cham pionship.
 This is the day when many are called and few are chosen, the day when the field is reduced to the 60 best scorers and all the rest about 100 of them-lose their last chance of winning the national open golf championship. The lucky 60 go a final 36 holes tomorrow and somewhere among them is your champion.
 It's do or die today and nerves were tighter than your 1927 tuxedo as the finest golfers in the world went out for 18 holes this morning in hot pursuit of Slammln' Sam Snead, who was the only one able to break par yesterday. Sammy the slam- mer led the pack with a sparkling 68, one under par for the lean, mean course that is rock-marked with traps.
 Ralph Guldahl, defending cham pion, was three strokes off the pace with Il, but the boys who lay the odds on this uncertain game still believed he was the man to beat A revised list of odds, on the basis of yesterdays play, quoted four to one against Guldahl and five to one against Snead. They figured that all the pressure was on Snead and that Guldahl was lying back in 8 strategic position to come up with rush and win.
 Snead Ahead
 Snead is ahead today because of one of the most amazing shots ever seen in tournament play. It hap pened on the long 18th hole, 48O yards of traps and trouble, where he very easily could have buried all his hopes. Sams second shot trickled into a trap of the green. It looked as though he was certain to take a five, maybe a six, but he hauled his sand wedge out of his bag, and dropped the ball into the cup for 8 birdie three. After that nothing could stop Sammy the slam mer, and it may well be that when the shades of night are closing in tomorrow that shot from a trap will turn out to be the decisive factor.
 The surprise as of now is young Marvin Ward of Spokane. Wash, an amateur, who came in with 8 fine 69 yesterday to tie for second place, one stroke behind Snead. Ward did it simply by playing steady, par golf all the way.
 Lawson Little got his 69 and a tie for second place the hard way by shooting an eagle three on the 18th hole. That hole is 558 yards long, and Little, a terrific hitter when he has his swing in the groove, vas home, 40 feet from the pin, with his brassie second. He dropped the put. Matt Kowal of the Philmont Country club also got a 69 by skipping a 33 on top of a 36.
 Plenty of top shotmakers are within striking distance of Snead. Bunched at 70 are Tommy Armour, Lloyd Mangrum of Los Angeles, Olin Dutra, Craig Wood, Denny Shute and Jug Mcepaden.
 Tied with Guldahl at Il are Will ford Wehrle, Racine, Wis, amateur; Edward Meister, Warrensville, Ohio. amateur; Harry Cooper, and Alvin Krueger
 Won Elm, Picard Tie
 In a tie at 72 were George Won Elm. Johnny Bulla, Henry Picard, Byron Nelson, Horton Smith and Tom Cleavy of Albany, N. Y.
 By all the laws of averages the winner ought to come out of those who stand at 72 or better, but this is a tricky course where a disastrous six or seven is possible on almost any hole, and Bobby Jones, spectator here, summed up the uncertainty of it when he was asked to name the winner. He thought a minute and said: 'Tll tell you Saturday night"