Evening star., 1942-10-18
Top Ranking Is Earned
By Outstanding Play
In His Lone Meet
Claude Awarded Highest
Position Over Boiley,
Sweorineen, Nolan
BY WALTER McCALLUM.

Claude Rippy. lanky man from
Shelby, N. c., called "Scarface" by
the caddies who admire his game,
is the top ranking amateur golfer of
Washington this year.
In a season marked by fewer tour
naments for man amateurs than any
since 1920, Rippy won the biggest
title OF them all and then forsook
competition except for few appear
ances In pro-amateur affairs. But
in that one tourney-the Middle
Atlantic championship-he proved
what a lot Of people long had sus-
pected-that Rippy is the best shot
maker among simon pures around
town.
Here Is the ranking Of the top
linksmen this year on the record of
the events played: No. /, Claude
Rippy Of Washington and Indian
Spring, Middle Atlantic champion.
No. 2, Bill Bailey of Kenwood, the
20-year-old University of Pennsyl-
vania student who sprang the big
gest surprise in many years by win
ming the District championship.
No. 3, Ray Swearingen runnerup
In the Middle Atlantic and Columbia
Country Club champion
No. 4. M. Parker Nolan, runnerup
In the District championship.
Rippy Has Hot Record.
Rippy long has been stando,lt
performer around the Capital, al
though he hasn't campaigned as
much as the other top men. He won
the Chevy Chase invitation affair
two years in row, for example, and
at that time missed first place in the
ranking because he did little else.
When he played the public courses,
Rippy was king, and while he hasn't
won everything since he joined the
private club group, he has done all
right.
Ralph Bogart and Bobby Brownell,
top ranking stars of last year, did
not compete this year.
Bailey was the real surprise. Even
at KenWood, where he has been
member for several years, few knew
anything about the tall, good look
ing youngster. He wasn't chosen for
the club team in the Maryland team
matches. But he romped through
the District championship, an un-
heralded youngster who hadn't been
given a tumble in the tourna-
ment dope He was the best In that
tournament without question. Rippy
didn't compete And then unpre-
dictable Bill took licking in his
own club championship,
Swearingen, the tall Hoosier from
Columbia, won his way to the final
in the Middle Atlantic champion
ship at Manor and gave Rippy a
real battle. Then he failed to qualify
for the top flight in the District
championship. But SWearlngen
played plenty of hot golf over his
home course, where rounds in the
low 70s ratified off his clubs regu-
larly.
Nolan Is Perennial Runnerup.
For the second year in a row,
Parker Nolan reached the final in
the District championship and again
he was licked Few thought Bailey
could whip Parker, particularly over
Nolan's home course at Congress
sional, but Bailey did it, by the alto
gether unexpected margin Of 4 and
2. Parker almost is strictly week
end golfer. but he can go when the
chips are down. BY now he is known
as the perennial runnerup. He
hasn't won big tourney around
Washington, even though he always
has been tough hombre in match
play.
Volney Burnett. Eddie Ault, Joe
Wilson and several others played
well, but they didn't win or get to
the final in tournament. Burnett
particularly had a bad tourney year
and Roger Peacock, once the top
amateur around town, didn't enter
major tournament.
Altogether 1912 hasn't been one
of the best years for competitive golf
arOI1n6 toutp