The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-12
Hogan Tie For
Top In Texas Golf Open
Leaders Card 72-Hole Total
Of 271; Playoffs Today;
Heather Is Sixth
Nv FELIX r. M'KNIGHT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. II.
R-Byron Nelson, the national
open champion, stormed in with
gathering dusk today to tie Ben
Hogan for first place in the $4,000
Texas open golf tournament with
a 13.under.par 72-hole total of 271.
Silent Ben, White Plains, N. Y,
professional, had finished 20 min
utes earlier with his third 66 Of
the tournament to take a lead only
Nelson thought wasn't safe.
Word buzzed back through the
gallery of about 5000 to Nelson
that he needed a birdie on one of
the last two holes to tie and he
got it OF the seventeenth.
The 36O-yard par four hole was
packed with thousands, but Nelson
scared his tee shot far over their
heads, saw It take a big bounce
in front of a trap guarding the
green's entrance and skip onto the
putting surface. He was down safe
ly in two puts and then needed
his par three on the 155-yard, par
three eighteenth treacherous
hole curling along a creek bank.
Nelson's crisp iron settled only
II feet past the pin and the open
champion did the expected-gam.
bled for victory, not the tie. His
putt bumped into a corner of the
hole and caromed out, six inches
away.
Hogan, a little fellow with a tire.
mendous power who has never won
a major tournament but who
hounds the winners, had just that
same seventeenth hole for his most
spectacular business.
Coming along five under par, he
drifted his tee shot out of bounds
into a river. Calmly, he teed up
again and poked his second tee
shot down the middle and on the
green, a terrific shot that carried
some 275 yards. He two putted for
his par. despite the penalty shot.
Nelson could trace his success
back to n magnificent shot on
the ninth hole of the final round.
His tee shot drifted over tall trees
down to a sloping river bank.
Backed against a tree, only a small
opeIing for a target, Nelson stiff
armed a two-iron shot some 200
yards through the trees and to the
edge of the ninth green for his
par-probably the finest shot of
the tournament.
Hogan had 66-73-66-66 for his to-
tai; Nelson, 6S-67-69-67.
They will play off at 10 holes
tomorrow afternoon.
The leaders, and prizes won:
Byron Nelson, Toledo, Ohio, 1885,
69-67-271 (undetermined).
Ben Hogan, White Plains, N. Y,
139-66.66-2T1 (undetermined).
Horton Smith, Oak Park, ILL.,,
137-66.69-272 ($500).
Lawson Little, Breton Woods, N.
H., 132-73-68-273 (s450).
Ed Oliver, Hornell, N. Y, 1865
7O-274 (s375).
Lloyd Mangrum, Chicago, 1867
1875 ($275).
Clayton Heather, Linville, N. c.,
136-69-70-275 ($275).
John Geertsen, Salt Lake City,
Utah, 13S-7o-6S-276 (s175).
Harold Mcspaden, Winchester,
Mass, 141-7-64-276 ($175).
Tony Penna, Dayton, Ohio, 1877
7o-71-27S G10O).
John Revolta, Evanston, ILL.,, 1S9-
7O-70-279 G66.66).
E. ]. Harrison, Little Rock, Ark,
136-71.72-279 W$66.66).
Bill Williamson, Los Angeles,
Calf, 144-7o-65-27s G66.66).
NJohnny Dawson, Hollywood,
Calf, 139-69.72-2s0.
Sam Snead, Shawnee-on-Dela-
ware Pa, 1s~s.7o.72-2sO ($5o).
Leonard Dodson, Springfield, NO..
139-73-6S-2SO ($50).
Sam Byrd, Philadelphia, Pa. 40.
72.69-2S1 $(18.75).
Harper Chandler, Portsmouth,
Va, 147.7o-64-2s1 (s1s.75).
W. A. Stackhouse, Seguin, Tex,
135-71-75-2s1 ($1S.75).
Jimmy McHale, Los Angeles,
Calf, 142-69.70-2S1 ($1S.75).
Note: First money 81, 500: second
$3.50.
x-Denotes amateur.