The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-26
LAWSON LITTLE MADE GOOD AS
 PROFESSIONAL
Amateur Star Finally Won U. s. Open From Sara- zen; Snead and Hogan
 Went We'll


 By HENRY SUPER
 United Press Staff Correspondent)
 New York, Dec. 26-CUP)-Golf during 1940 was filled with thrills and surprises as only one champion, little Betty Jameson in the women's national tournament, retained 8 title.
 Old-timers came back, records were slaShed, Lawson Little made good as professional and Sam Snead showed the world he, at last knows how to fight when the chips were down-these were a few of the highlights.
 The golfers of the year were Lit tie, national open champion; Byron Nelson, P. G. A. winner; Dick Chapman, amateur titleholder; Miss Jameson; Ben Hogan, leading money winner and most consistent golfer of the campaign; and Gene Sarazen who came back to almost win the national open crown.
 The national open tournament provided the upset~of the year when Little, former king of the amateurs, came up from nowhere to win golf's most-priZed title. Snead, the fa- vorite, led at the end of the first round with a five-under-jar 67 for the tough Canterbury course at Cleveland. That was the lowest first round score in historfy. At the end of the second round, Snead, Little and Horton Smith W ere tied with Al.
 On the final day Snead blew sky high with 73 and an 30 for 295. Little took the lead with 287 and one by onehischallengers fell of. But little Sarazen roared through the stretch and tied Little for the title. In playoff the following day Little won the championship with a 70 to Sarazen's 73.
 Little, after several heart-break- ing years as professional, finally made good.
 Bad Break Was Good Break
 Out of that tournament came arl- other name that caused one of the greatest controversies in the history of golf-chunky Ed Oliver. He also shot a 287 which would have pro- vided a triple tie, but he was dis qualified for starting the final round before his scheduled time. Oliver thus became one of the best-known golfers in the land as the argument ragged for weeks whether he should have been barred from the playoff and as result he made plenty of money on exhibition tour.
 In the P. G. A. tournament at the Hershey Country club, Pa, Sarazen and his old-time rival, Walter Hagen, made big splash in championship that was played in continuous rain. Hagen went to the third round before losing to Harold (Jug) McSpaden while Sar- azen, after defeating defending champion Henry Picard, lost to Snead in the fourth round.
 In the finals 1t was Snead against Nelson. Once before Snead had reached the P. G. A. title round only to lose to Paul Runyan in the great est rout in golf history. But this time Sam fought. At the end of IS holes he was two down. On the last nine he rallied, shooting three birdies in row to go one up. Co., ing to the 18th Snead was ahead but Nelson ripped of two birdies and par to win the match, one up. After that match Snead said: T guess r. AJbe I'll be better from now on"
 Money Winner
 Although he didn't win major national tournament, Ben Hogan was the leading money winner of the year with $1O,655. Ben also won the Harry Vardon Memo. ial trophy which goes to the professional with the best point total, arrived at by awarding points for high finishers in all tournaments. Ben had a total of 423. Snead was second with 393 and Nelson was third with 337.
 Nelson, by winning the recent Miami open tournament, pulled into second place on the money winning list with $9,653 while Snead was fourth with $9,206. Jimmy Dennaret, sensation of the winter circuit and second most of the year in earnings to Hogan, slumped badly on the summer campaign and finished fourth in earnings with $8,652. Lit- tie was fifth with $5.7l7.
 Dick Chapman, hometown boy, won the national amateur tourna- ment over his own course, the Winged Foot club at Mamaroneck, N. Y. Chapman's was one of the greatest conquests in the history of the tournament. To get to the finals however. Chapman had tough going. He was five down to Milford Wehrle at the end of nine holes in the 36- hole semi-finals and went on to win. The defending champion. Marvin Bud Ward, an overwhelming fa- vorite to retain the title, was de- feated by Ray Pillows who in turn lost to Dun" Mccullough, Phila- delphia weekend golfer. in the semi finals. Tn the finals. Chapman shot birdie after birdie to trounce Mccullough, il and 9, in a one- sided final.
 On the winter circuit. the two hot names were Demaret and Hogan Demaret won thc Augusta Masters title while Hogan was sensational as he set a scoring record by win- ming three straight winter tourna- ments in 34 strokes under par for 2iR holes.
 World Record
 Demaret shot a 90 on the back | nina on the first r0llnd of the Mng.