Evening star., 1939-04-01
Snead, Ne|son,P Picard
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Despite Billie $50
Jones, With Round Of 76,
Afraid He Has Lost
His Putting Touch
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

AUGUSTA, Ga. April Its 60
ing clear back to 1881 SINCE Billie
Burke wrote his chapter in golf1ng
history. That was the year when
Billie and George Won Elm threaten
ed to spend the rest of the season
battling each other for the United
States open title. Billie finally won
it on the seventy-second extra hole,
the all-time marathon record.
The same Billie Burke was lead
ing the Augusta national masters"
tournament when they teed off to-
day in the second 18-hole round.
That's why I have been introducing
him. He shot a SO in yesterdays
opening round, much to the surprise
of everybody, including himself, pos
sibly. Sam Sneed with 10, and
Henry Picard, Byron Nelson and
Tommy Armour, each with II,
came the closest to matching such a
score.
Burke hasn't done much of i'm
portance since he won the open
eight years ago. He took to teach
ing and has stayed at it, passing up
the winter money trair' without
feeling he was missing anything. But
every now and then he has come out
to play in some tournament, and
almost invariably he has done all
right.
"Big Four" Ready to Fire.
Almost better loved than Billie,
If possible, is his dog Jerry that he
takes around with him. Jerry is
sharp-nosed little Welsh sheep dog
with heavy coat. When Billie goes
out to play a round, like yesterday,
ne deposits Jerry in a corner of the
locker room and tells him to remain
right there.
The fellows all try to make the
pooch move. but he won't stir an
inch until Billie comes back and
gives him the word.
So a fellow who makes a dog love
him like that must be pretty good.
Burke is, and everybody was tickled
to see him shoot such a round yes
terday. If he should stay in there
and win the event there couldn't
possibly be a more popular victory.
Yet nobody really expects him to.
While Burke was taking the lead
and Bobby Jones, the popular host.
was blowing himself to a large rs.
the formidable Big Four" was
wheeling its howitzers up. This
group is composed of Sam Snead.
Byron Nelson, Ralph Guldahl and
Henry Picard, and you couldn't get
better than even money today that
one of them wouldn't win this event.
I know, because I tried.
Seven in Even Par" Group.
Don't kid me-" said the man who
makes the big book on the tourna-
ment. II like Burke and I would love
to see him win, because there's prac-
tically nothing bet on him. But I
know those four guys you're talking
about"
Guldahl was in a group of seven
who shot 70 in the first round. With
him were Dick Metz, Lawson Little,
Craig Wood, Jimmy Demaret, Tony
Penna, and KY Laffoon. All these
shot even par, which indicates that
the course isn't so very tough this
year. The grass on the fairways is
thick and the greens are smooth
and wide.
Jones and Walt Hagen were in a
tie with six others at rs, which meant
they had blown themselves out of
the tournament. Bobby did all right
going out in front of the days big
gallery, holing couple of long puts
for 36, but he got all mixed up
with the course coming back. He
had mud on his sleeves when I saw
him in the clubhouse later.
Jones' Putting Touch Gone.
"I'll swear I don't know why can't
putt any more" he said. I'm play
ing about as good as ever did up to
the green, but get the jitters when
I try to putt. I try to do it exactly
like I used to, I hold the club the
same way and everything, but I can't
knock the ball in the hole any more"
It's painfully evident that Bobby's
lost all confidence in his putting.
Watching him. you feel that he's 60
ing to miss. He doesn't give the ball
a chance. nowadays, with the win
ners averaging eight under par for
u holes. man has to try to hole out
every time he gets within mashie
distance.