The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-06-01
SNEAD SWINGS
way TO GREAT
GOLF VICTORY
Virginia Star Takes PGA
Championship for First
Time
BY OSCAR FRALEY
United Press stsR Correspondence


Atlantic City, N. j., June 1-(UP)
Samuel jackson Snead, the slope
shouldered h!ll-billy who came down
out Of the mountains Of Virginia
with the sanoothest swing in goli
history, prepared today for induc-
ton into the navy after winning
COLTS greatest prize - the PGA
championship.
Only q few hours before he was
to be called TO the colors-- and aft
er seven years Of trying-the sweet
swinging mountaineer finally crash
ed through to a major golf cham
pionship at Seaview Country club
yesterday when he defeated Jimmy
Turnesa, the little corporal from
Fort Dix, N. j., 2 and I.
This victory was particularly
sweet to Slammin' Sam, one Of the
games longest hitters. His blow
ups-such as that eight which cost
him the 1899 National Open cham
pionShip-had earned him a repu-
taticn as strictly front runner.
But the Hot Springs, Va, profess
sional threw the lie at his critics
before a gallery Of 1000 persons In
yesterdays PGA finals.
Comeback
Snead made them more than eat
their words. For he was three down
half way through the 36-hole final
with the steady little corporal, a
giant-killer who had turned back
two favorltes little Ben Hogan
and big Byron Nelson. The Vir-
g!nian refused to yield. however,
and he evened the match at the
9th and then won in the stretch.
The shot that gave him the title
was probably the most sensational
OF the silver anniversary tourna-
nent in which 102 professionals
teed of a week ago.
snead had the conquering cor
poral dormied on the saith, two
down and two to go: But this was
the same spot that Nelson, out
standing tournament favorite, had
had Turnest in on the previous day.
Nelson dropped the last two holes,
evening the match, and then lost to
the swarthy soldier on the S7th
hole.
slammin' Sans drive on this
saith hole was over the green, be-
hind a mound, 90 feet from the
pin. Turnesa drove the egreen on
this short hole and was laying as
feet from the cup. It was then
that the hill-billy hustler Clipped
one into the cup for q birdie two
and concedede Turnest's putt for q
2 and / victory.
The defeat was no disgrace TO
Tutnesa, sixth In a line Of seven
golfing brothers. Competing on q
To-day furlough, the 20-year-old
draftee placed second among 80
match play qualifiers with q 1870,
1--WE under par.
He then eliminated Dutch Harri-
son, 6 and s; jug McSpaden, / up;
Hogan, Q and l, and Nelson, I up
on the 37th, before losing to snead.
Surprised Himself
TurneSa, a member Of the medi-
cal corps, was surprised that he
went as far as he did. Not since
he was recalled into the army last
January while competing in the
Los Angeles Open had the sturdy
soldier competed. In return for a
furlough to compete in the PEA he
promised his conmandant that any
winnings would 60 to army emery
ency relief. The To-day investment
Melted the fund Turnesa's $3.50
share.
snead, whose victory was worth
$4,000, made the most Of his last
few civilian days. In his march to
the crown, held last year by Corp.
Vic Ghezzi, Of Fort Monmouth,
Snead eliminated the highly-re-
garded Sam Byrd, former New York
Yankee baseball star; Willie Cog
gin; PGA President Ed Dudley;
Jimmy Demaret and finally Turn
eSa.
Snead twice had advanced to the
finals Of this tournament but both
times had been turned back. The
first time was in 1888, when he lost
to Paul Runyar1, 8 and z. The last
time was In 1870, when Nelson de-
feated him by 1-up margin.
And yesterday it looked as If once
again snead was to be denied.
Turnesa fired a 81 on the frst nine
and was one-up against Snead's IS.
Then Turnesa had an incoming So
for a 10 and went three-lp while
Snead came In with a 80 for q IS.
Turness's lead was cup to 2 up
when Snead dropped a winning
putt on the oath and Sam explained
later he felt then that II could and
would win"
Snead shot a So on this third leg
against Turnesa,s SO, squaring the
match. Starting the final nine
holes, Slammin' Sam won the 20th
and 3Oth holes, to go 2 up and he