Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-02
Course al Fort Worth
Offers Seven Easy
Birdie Chances
Long Par IS, Narrow
Fuirwuys Prevent 1t
From Being Cinch
BY BILL BONI.
Associated Press Sports Writer.

FORT WORTH, June 1.-The
Colonial Club course, over which
the 45th United States Open golf
championship will begin Thursday,
is the youngest" course on which
the oldest Open tourney in the
country ever has been played. To
the advance forces of the 172-man
field which will seek the title, it
also appears to be somewhat of an
enigma.
There could be no sharper cleav-
age In opinion than there is on
the question of how this 7035-yard
course is going to play.
Half the experts, including Hor-
ton Smith, Paul Runyan and Dick
Metz, say a final score of 285, five
over par, will be very good. The
other half, including Defending
Champion Lawson Little. Craig
Wood and jug McSpaden, feel that
man who hits a hot streak for
four rounds is going to better Ralph
Guldahl's championship record of
28l and may do it by as much as
six or seven strokes.
Meat for Argument Abundant.
Each side has potent arguments.
The 285 contingent points to the
narrow fairways and the matted.
rough, dumped trees, ravines and
gullies which border them. They
stress the toughness of the four
para holes 1.-TWO of almost 200
yards, the others 207 and $50. all
carry over bends of the Trinity
River and the fact that three of
the par Is are 1859, 46S and ASS yards
-"overgrown par As as Horton
Smith calls them.
The boys who say the winner will
be an all-time record breaker argue
that narrow fairways never stopped
a good pro when he's in stride and
that. while the above holes are
tough, there are at least seven on
which brides shouldn't be hard to
get. Figuring a man for pars on
the difficult holes, that gives him
seven chances to get under par 10.
No one is likely to touch IS, which
was Ben Hogan's course record be-
fore three holes were rebuilt for the
present layout. but there should be
SIS and 68s, they say.
One thing Is sure, the "eyes of
Texas" and the entire Southwest
really are going to be on this tourna-
ment, first Open ever played south
of the Mason-Dixon line. You can't
blame the Southwesterners, either.
for when they start Keeling off the
names of crack pros who have come
out of Texas, Arkansas. Oklahoma,
Missouri and Kansas. it reads like
golfing who's who"
Tournaments Daddy a Prophet.
Texas alone has Hogan, Byron
Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Lloyd
Mangrum and Guldahl for native
sons, and Harry Cooper as an
adoptee. The other four have con-
tributed. among others. Dick Metz.
McSpaden. Runyan, Smith. Leonard
DOlloOll. Iu DuOlCy dlii ny bdAoOli'
Chiefly responsible for bringing
the Open to Texas was Businessman
Marvin Leonard of Fort Worth. Six
years ago he decided he'd like to
build a golf course, and that course
is Colonial Two years ago he
decided he'd like to have the Open
played on it. and here it is.
If this sounds bit incredible. we
offer proof of Mr.. Leonard's powers.
At 6 pm. yesterday he was asked
what sort of weather he'd ordered.
Mr.. Leonard scanned the sunny
skies.
I've ordered three-quarters of an
inch of rain for tonight and SUM-
shine the rest of the way" he said.
At 1920 pm. it began raining in
bucketfuls.
We are ready to bet on sunshine
simply on his say-so.