The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-08-01
Fire 28O's
To Set Up
New Record
AL Zimmerman Is
Third, Christiun
Fourth in Meet
By ED MEAGHER


nations amateur golfers, and EN-
cry Zimmerman, slightly built, be-
specialized Portland professional,
will match strokes in an lS-hole
play-off for the Washington state
open golf championship Thursday
afternoon at 1870 over the difficult
Fircrest links.
Both broke the competitive
72-hole record for the course
AS they tied for the title with
go strokes, four under par, at
conclusion of play yesterday.
Never before. ii is believed, had
par been humbled during a tourna-
ment over the 72-hole distance.
And there was nothing easy about
the course yesterday, with stiff
wind combing the fairways, cut
ting down distance on the drives
and making the ball act maynard
ly on the approaches.
AL SHOOTS 281
Ward and EN- Zimmerman were
not alone, however, in accomplish
ing the embarrassment of par. AL
Zimmerman, who. like his brother
Emery. is Portland pro, finished
with a PSI. And Neil Christian,
Yakima professional, concluded
the 70 holes with an even-par 1874.
The two Zimmermans and
Christian were tied, each with
210, at the end of "a holes.
One stroke back was Ward
and, at that moment, the one
stroke doomed large.
But slope-shouldered Ward, one
of those rare golfers who gets bet
ter as the going gets warmer,
figuratively took off his coat and
knocked the daylights out of par.
He raped out 69-his best round
of the tournament-and finished
all even with En- Zimmerman.
Fittingly, the drama highlights
yesterday all were on the last
green, which was virtually a stage,
so much happened there.
Up to the last green came En-
Zimmerman. He putted and the
BAH caught the edge of the cup,
whirled around the cup like a
dervish and popped out. Had it
dropped, EN- would have had a
birdie for 279.
Then came Ward. He had
massed reasonably short birdie
puts on the 18th and 18th
greens. He had been putting
for brides on virtually every
hole. but only three had been
bagged. He was due. His ap-
proach shot, a nigh-perfect
effort, landed not IL feet from
the pin.
Ward, however, was short with
his putt for the birdie that would
have given him the title.
Next came AL Zimmerman, who
had led the pack at the end of IS
holes with fine 1873. His story,
in a way, is the most heartbreak-
ing of all. He came to the 18th
tee needing nothing better than
par in for the crown.
NOT TOO LATE
Unaccountably, he lost his touch.
He took boyle five on II. Even
then 1t was not too late. A par
would earn him a tie. A birdie
would give him victory. But, after
a fine drive, he put too much
power into his approach shot. The
ball lit on the other side of the
green, behind bunker.
His pitch shot back to the
green bobbed Is feet or more past
the pin and he missed the putt
10 take his second consecutive
DOGGY five and lose his chance for
first money.
And, speaking about money. EN-
zimmerman, regardless of how he
fares in the playoff with Ward,
will take the lions share of the
swag. Al Zimmerman took second
money. Christian third.
Harry Givan, the Seattle
Walker cupper, was runner-up
to Ward for amateur honors.
He had 2S6 and Tacoma's
Bob Van de Mark was third
among the not-paid- play
entries with a 1872.
The four phenomenal rounds of
Ward and Zimmerman were:
Ward go. 70-71-70-69-2s0
Zimmerman. 71-70-69-70-2s0
But what about Christian, who
paced the field at various times?
The 1lth hole was Christians
Nemesis. His tee shot on the hole
dog leg TO the left. appeared TO
De virtually perfect, but it hit the
branch Of a tree, fell dead. sty-
MED by trees, his second shot
into another tree and
70 make a bad situation worse no
-nree-putted for two-over-par
Xix. Christian wasn't able 10 sur.
mount that slice of tough luck.
much to the distress of the large
gallery, which seemed generally
% favor the veteran Yakima par
buster.