Imperial Valley press., 1944-02-28

the next two. and took the sixth
for a four-up score over Birchtlelo.
/ jersey bounced back by taking the
next three holes but Blalack was
not to be stopped. He birdied the
4 10th and llth and took the 18th
with a par four, giving him a 4-up
1 lead. Jersey took the 18th when
! Blalack ran into trouble but the
new champion went ahead to take
two of the remaining five to finish
! at the turn with Sup
RUNNING CLOSE
Birchfield. who had trouble with
/ his short game the first round,
started out on number che OF the
second round with an eagle. On his
approach shot from more than 40
yards out Jersey dropped it in the
cup for a three while Blalack
| finished with a birdie four. jerseys
bad approach shot on the second
hole gave Blalack his former lead
of five-up. The two contenders
halved the next five holes. On the
I eighth Jerseys putter was heavy
and his ball ringed the cup TO put
him six holes behind.
Birchfield took the ninth hole
when Vic's approach shot failed to
roll. The next hole was halved and
on the 18th Birchfield again missed
a putt and halved the hole TO be 5
down and six holes to go.
It was the thirteenth hole that
gave the Victor trouble on the first
round and on the second round was
the start of rally by Jersey and
breaking down OF the new cham
pion that almost proved his
nemiSiS.
GETS BAD LIZ
Blalack hooked his drive to get a
bad lie on the 18th. his recovery
shot and approach were both sub
par to the brand he had been dis
playing and Jersey took the hole
with a birdie three compared to
the new champions five. The four
teenth saw Blalacks style split
wider at the seams while Birchfield
was playing like a fire-horse near
" taking a birdie but capturing the
hcle when Vic went one-over-par.
On the fifteenth Blalack missed a
four foot putt while Jersey pared
the hole to win again. With Vic
two-up and three to go, tenseneSS
of the crowd under the balmy
sunny skies mounted. Could Birch
field do it? . II looked like nc
was going To make the match go IL
holes and perhaps win.
On the sixteenth Jersey made an
excellent approach shot to the pin
and pared out while Blalacks' ap-
proach was short and he missed a
nine-foot putt II was l-up for the
Yuman and two holes to 60 :. but
the holes were running out for both
men and the crowd Sensed that the
1914 championship was to be decid-
ed on the 18th. It was.
NIP AND TUCK
Both contenders' drives were fair.
with Blalack getting the poorer lie
but recovered with an excellent
approach Beth men were on the
green in two and it was jerseys
chance TO take the hole, He had a
long putt but should par the hole
TO win. The first putt was long
and the ball went by the cup 10
end Six-feet beyond. Blalack knew
then that he could halve the hole
at least as his putt went nearly to
the pin jersey stepped up to his
ball a Six-fCOt putt is tricky
business, and ne had been having
trouble hush settled over the
crowd Jersey stroked his ball
and missed. The champion
ship of 1914 went to Vic Blalack on
the seventeenth hole at 4:30 p. m.
Sunday, February 81.
As the crowd, keyed up on the
last seven holes relaxed and joined
the champion and runner up ON
their way back to the clubhouse,
everyone was satisfied that they
had seen championship golf played
that afternoon at the Barbara
Worth Country club
The king is dead, long live
the king!"
FAMOUS SIX HOLES
Anything that might be said
about the championship match
afater those last six holes would be
an anti-climaX Champion Blalack
said that he was worried en- the
sixteenth and foresaW Birchfield
again defeating him as he did last
year Until the 18th hole Blalack's
game was excellent and he was at
his best while Birchfield, who has
had trouble during the entire
tournament. couldn't get the sights
with his putter and was off on his
short game from the start.
Blalack has been playing in the
valley championship
Journeys for IA years. In 1885 he
won the Fred r. Bright trophy and
again in 1912. This third winning
gives him permanent possession Of
the cup which bears these names
starting with 1894: Auzzie Austin,
VIZ Blslack, Don Rex, Logan Jen-
1lng. Dlck Lott, Dave Taylor Laddie
John Hanley, Vic
IzlaIack and Jeraey Birchfield
YEN yesrg III valley golf history.
Erchfleld defeated jerry Fox Q
ana ! and Elalack doWned Forrest
.I@nley . ana Saturday afternoon
b. tkle Benl-flpaig.
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