Evening star., 1940-08-15
Good Purse Promised
II Meet Is Staged
For Links Pros
Wotered Course Fuvored
For Eveat Cox Won
Two Years in Row
BY WALTER McCALLUM.

That much tossed around STEP
child of local golf-the somewhat
synthetic District of Columbia open
championship-may emerge this
year as full-fiedged tournament all
dressed up in long jeans, the pockets
filled with q fair amount of cash.
That is, 1t will emerge If DR.. Robert
A. Keilty, president of the District
Golf Association, has his way.
Al Houghton, Beaver Dam pro,
wanted the tourney at his course in
May, and date was set. The date
conf1icted with some other affair,
and later date was set. That also
was abandoned. Since then the poor
little orphan hasn't even been left
on any ones doorstep. But DR.. Keilty
would like to do something about
it during his presidency of the local
links organization.
The District open was not played
last year. Witty Cox won 1t for the
second time In 1888 at Washington,
so WHY Is the holdover champ. He
would probably win it again, but that
Is one Of those maybe things, like
the reason for hoss races.
Started In 1887.
The whole thing Is q long story.
Back in 1887 the local pros. spurred
on by Cox. Roland Mackenzie and
George Diffenbaugh, got together
to play series OF Sunday exhibi-
ton matches, with each club guar
anteeing some money for the
matches. Part Of each purse from
10 matches was impounded for the
District open championship-then a
new tournament. The scheme
worked, and Witty Cox got a fair
slice Of change for winning the
initial affair that year, even though
he played through a last round
rainstorm to win with 291 at Indian
Spring. The following year, with
the aid Of gift Of cash from the
Washington club, the tourney was
played there, and Witty won again
this time with 288.
But last year the pros hashed up
the whole thing. George Diffen-
baugh tried to get them together
to hold Sunday exhibition matches
and raise some money for the
District open. They squabbled about
the men who were to play in the
Sunday matches so effectively that
George and some others washed
their hands Of the whole thing, and
no Sunday matches were played.
Nor was the District open. It's one
Of those odd situations. The pros
want It; the amateurs would like
it. but no group seems to be willing
to give it a shove.
Now DR.. Keilty steps into the
picture. He happens to be a fellow
who believes in golf for golf's sake;
one Of those individuals who gets
a kick out of doing something for
the sake Of the game itself. The
District Golf Association hasn't any
considerable amount of money in
its treasury to dump into a pro
tournament. And even if it had it
isn't likely it would toss 1t to the
pros. 1t has enough to do when 1t
spends money on amateur golf pro-
motion.
Tourney May Have Sponsor.
But DR.. Keilty hints that other
ways can be found to raise a chunk
of money for the District open.
Lets see" he says. I'VE would
have about 5000 in entry fees, or
in that neighborhood. That would
be a good start. And l have a
nibble from an organization which
might sponsor it and put up some
money. Yes, I think we can put
on a tournament this year.
But I would not be in favor. Of
holding it unless it was good
affair. No fly-by-night event with
the pros playing only for their
entry fees. That would simply be
another of the usual pro sweep
stakes events. And I would be in
favor of holding it over good
course with fairway watering. and
over a 36-hole route, played in one
day."
That fairway watering angle re-
stricts it either to Chevy Chase or
Columbia. Both clubs aren't ex-
GA ~