Evening star., 1945-07-29
Half Of Field Halted,
Nelson With 3 for
Outward Journey
BY JERRY LISKA.

CHICAGO, July %. (F1.-The boys
got rain-check in the 100000 all
American open golf tournament to-
day, but chances are the cloudburst
that washed out the semi final
round of the 72-hole classic only
delayed another triumph for de-
tending champion Byron Nelson.
Instead of staging his stretch
drive tomorrow, as originally sched-
uled, Nelson must wait until Mon
day before he moves In for the kill.
Nelson, the 36-hole leader with a
brilliant 1874, just completed three
under-33 when a downpour prompt
ed meet officials to cancel the en-
tire days proceedings in the three
play carnival at Tam O'Shanter
course.
Fred Corcoran, P. G. A. tourna-
ment chairman, reported the green's
were soaked and putting virtually
impossible, yet the Toledo player
splashed through the rain on the
final six holes of his sparkling
opening nine.
Nelson Still Strokes Ahead.
Nelson, seeking his 10th straight
tournament victory and a war bond
take of more than $45,000 for the
year, still is four strokes ahead of
knicker-wearing Gene SaraZen, Of
New York.
1t was the second straight year
that the lush all-American meet
has been interrupted by rain. Last
year, the final session on Sunday
was rained out and played Monday.
The torrential downpour that
came after half the l32-player field
had finished erased an early 54-
hole lead held by Joe zarhardt of
Norristown, Pa, who shot So for
4 209-stroke aggregate.
Promoter George S. May an
nounced that the days competition
in the All-American Women's Open
completed before the cloudburst-
also was cancelled and would be
finished tomorrow and Monday.
Sarazen also got nine holes in be-
fore the deluge and carded a two
over standard 38.
GuIdahl Had Compiled 211.
Trailing Zarhardt among the
players who completed their 18-
hole rounds was Ralph Guldahl Of
Chicago with 21l. The stoop-
shouldered veteran. who yesterday
hammered a course record-match-
ing 65, faded to an even-par u to-
day.
Thus Guldahl, attempting a come
back after five years of obscurity,
has another chance to whittle Nell
sons five-stroke advantage. Gull
dahl is bracketed at 139. stroke
behind Sarazen, with three other
stars-Lt. Ben Hogan of Louisville;
Sam Snead Of Hot Springs, Va,
and Sergt. E. J. Dutch) Harrison
of Wright Field, Ohio.
Hogan and Snead had even par
SOS on their first mines today, while
Harrison failed to turn in his rain
soaked card.
The cancellation also affected the
third 18-hole round Of the all
American amateur which was just
getting under way when the rain
came. Currently leading the simon
pures with 140's are Army Flight
Officer Frank Stranahan of Fort
Myers, Fla, and Toledo, Ohio, and
Art Doering of Denver.
Boon for Dorothy Germain.
The surprise calling off the
already completed women's compe-
tition was boon to Pace-setter
Dorothy Germain of Philadelphia,
who stumbled with her poorest
round, 39-42-81, to have her lead
shrink from to strokes at 234
After today's "no-count" round,
Defending Champion Betty Hicks of
Claremont, Calf, and Dorothy
Kielty of Los Angeles, moved into
a second-place deadlock with 236.
Miss Hicks shot 37-40-77 and Miss
Kielty carded 40-38-7S.
Now the runners-up still are Miss
Kielty and 1t. Patty Berg of the
Marines at 158. while Miss German
is in front with 1853.
Before the cancellation, three
Navy players withdrew from the
open in Difference, they said, to
Navy directive banning competition
off the base. They were Specialist
1/c Jimmy Demaret of Corpus
Christi, Tex; Specialist BIC Lewis
Worsham of Glen Echo, Md, and
Chief Specialist Rut Coffey of Will
liamsburg, Va.
Worsham had a 36-hole aggregate