Evening star., 1940-09-08
Dethroning Of Ward
Would Be Rated as
Form Reversal
Not Much Is Expected
OF Washington Trio
At Winged Foot
BY WALTER McCALLUM.


trapped and wooded course of the
Winged Foot Club of Mamaroneclk,
N. Y. This affair, last of the big
events for the amateurs this year,
will be the final proving ground
for Marvin Bud) Ward, the reign
ing champion. Ward happens to
be the best of a lot of amateurs
who play good golf, even though you
hardly could put them in the same
class as the topnotchers of Is years
ago.
Bud Ward have proved himself
the best, If only by his win of the
1889 Amateur championship, follow
ing a fine showing in the 1899
Open, and his win this year of the
Western Amateur. He has done all
he should have done and if he drops
his title this year it will be ranked
as an upset.
Three local youngsters are at
Winged Foot ready for the OPEN
ing of the big show. One or two
of them may qualify tomorrow and
Tuesday for the match-play rounds.
Those who do qualify can rate
themselves among the top "a men
of amateur golf this year.
Ralph Bogart, the tall Congress
sional and Army Navy boy, at 20
years of age a smooth-swinging
youngster with good links future,
looms as the best of the trio. But
Billy Shea of Congressional may do
all right. Earle Skinker of Colum-
bia, a newcomer to the amateur
championship, can surprise every
one by qualifying for the champion
ship match-play rounds, which
would be quite an achievement for
Earle.
Ferrier Ban Seems Just.
You can toss out the fuss about
Jim Ferrier, the big Australian who
was declared ineligible for the
championship by the U. S. G. A.
The national links body doesn't take
such steps without, going into the
case thoroughly. In this instance
they seem to be right You also
can toss out the fuss being made
over Bing Crosby, the Hollywood
warbler with the quaver in his voice.
Bing is nice guy and a fairly
good golfer, but the golf company is
too fast for him.
Because when the going at Winged
Foot gets down toward the end,
where champions are made, fellows
like Fischer, Ward, Goodman, Bill
lows, Turnesa, Holt, Doering and a
few others will be in there. These
boys know their golf shots in their
own class, which hardly is the pro-
fessional class. The pros happen to
be long way In front of the anna
teurs. '-' ''r7.
Washington is sending three good
golfers to the championship. But
they are not likely to 60 very far.
All OF which is strange in a COM
munity SO golf-crazy as the Nations
Capital. Roland MacKenzie's semi
final appearance in 1927 remains
the best showing made by a Wash
tngton entrant. George Voigt was
registered from New York when he
won the medal in 1928 and went to
the semi-fnal in 1929, although
George learned his golf in Washing
ton.
Mishap Eliminates Voigt.
The same Voigt won't be around
this year as rugged competitor for
the title. George played at Winged
Foot for years and would be tough
over that course this year. But he
Is in Baltimore hospital recovering
from injuries received in an auto
mobile accident.
As soon as the local lads return
from the national championship
they'll move right into the thick of
the fight for the District amateur
crown. Qualifying rounds for this
tourney will be played Tuesday, Sep
tember II, at Manor, and will be
followed by the customary four
match rounds. The previous day
September 16-the public links boys
will qualify for their championship
tourney, whose match rounds are
slated to open September %. Eight
each will qualify at Rock Creek and
Anacostia Parks, while 16 will qualify
at East Potomac Park. On the basis
that it's wise to stick with the champ
until he's licked you have to string
along with Bogart and Andy Oliveri
to win the District championship
and the public links title again.
The municipal championship is
likely to be pain to Grandpappy
Loeffier. If Oliveri wins again and
retires the present Loeff1er Trophy
they'll 60 to the rotund gent who
runs the public courses with a re-
the first one in 1885 and Claude
Rippy won it outright in three
straight years. Oliveri has won the
present trophy twice and now seems
a good bet to retire it in three
straight years.
Congressional Gets Busy.
Congressional Country Club, Inc,
new owners of the property Of the
old Congressional Country Club, will
proceed at once with construction of
another nine holes, and Immediately
will get at the job of watering the
fairways on the present course.
From the optimism in evidence at
Congressional you get the idea that
the club is over the bad spots and
that from now on all will be clear
sailing. 1t means lot of hard work
for Witty Cox, the club pro, for
Witty will be in the middle of the
course construction work. 1t also
means that the Congressional
course. when fairway watering is
installed, will become one of the
best anywhere. Women's champion
ship tournaments at several local
clubs will start this week. The Con-
gressional mems championship also
Is scheduled this week, but prob
ably will be postponed. Billy Shea
and Ralph Bogart won't be around
Washington this week.
Recreation Pin League