The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-01-09
|Snead WinsOpen
At Los Angeles
Slammin' Sam Wins S13..
333 Golf Tourney With
Two Under Par
BY GENE FRIEDMAN
United Press Staff Corresnonden

LOS ANGELES, Jan. s-UP)-
slammin' Sammy Snead shot a
two-under-par final round today to
win the 1888 Los Angeles open
tourna-nent-his third major golf
ing victory since he left the Navy
to reenter big-time competition.
The amazing Snead, coming
back to the golfing wars after a
tWo-year hitch with the fleet, post
ed one-under-par 283 for the u
holes of competition to edge out
golfdom's top wartime stars for
the third straight time since he
swung into the west coast winter
circuit.
Last month he had taken top
honors in Journeys at Portland,
Ore, and Richmond, Calf.
Snead, of White Sulphur Springs,
Va, shot only one sub-par round
during the four days of the tourna-
ment over the long, rolling fair
ways of the Riviera Country Club.
That was his SO today. Previously
he had turned in two even-par,
and Y. And that was good
enough to win the tournament by
exactly one stroke.
Right behind him were golfdom S
Gold Dust Twins" byron Mel
Son of Toledo, O.. and Harold (Jug)
McSpaden of Philadelphia, the two
top money winners of 1944-Who
tied for second place with 72-hole
scores of 2S4, even par.
Nelson could have tied Snead
had he sunk a 20-foot putt on the
slanting green of the 18th hole.
He lined that one up long time
as the crowd hushed. but his tap
fell two feet short. His card: H.
72-7O-71-284.
McSpaden had three one-under
par rounds-70's Friday, Saturday
and today. But he begged down
with IA, three over, yesterday
when ne got tangled up with a
thick Pacific ocean fog and had
to be content with the second
spot. He got his 10 today by virtue
of a four-under-par 80 on the back
nine, with brides on the 315-yard
10th and 569-yard 18th holes and
an eagle two on the 425-yard 18th
hole.
Snead's play in this tournament
was not what one could call con-
sistent-as far as the individual
holes Went-but the overall score
was what counted. Many of his
shots went into the thick woods
that line the 7o00-yard long Rivi-
era Club course. Others plunged
into the gravel-bottomed bitches
but he always managed to get out.
Snead canned a 4 IL foot putt
on the 18th and the putt meant
sole possession of the first place
prize, $2666.67 in war bonds, cash
value.
Nelson and McSpaden will split
the second and third purses OF
81 1856. 81 and 81, 1888. 33. From there
the money runs down to 1888
for 20th.
Sammy Byrd, Detroit, who
switched from baseball to golf,
wound up in fourth place with
total of 285. His card was 70-72-
1918.
Johnny Revolta, Evanston, with
71-7O-7l-75-287, and Ray Mum
grum, Los Angeles, with 71-69-73-
74-2s7, were next in the stand
ings, followed by Sgt. jim Fer
rier of San Franciscos Preside
with 74-71-71-72-288 and George
Fazio of Pine Valley, N. Y, with
73-71-72-73-289.
Oliver Sleepy of Los Angeles
was tine top amateur with IVY
This gave him tie for ninth
place with Chick Rutan OF Blrm-
ingham, Mich, Leland Gibson
Kansas City and Randolph Field
and Denny Shute of Akron, o.
George Schneiter, Utah S golt-
ing king from Salt Lake City, ana
E. j. Dutch Harrison, now wear
ing the tee-shirt provided by the
Army's Wright Field, we're next
at 29l, followed by Wolfe Hunt
er, home pro at the Riviera Les
Kennedy of Pawtucket. R. l.. and
Claude Harmon of Crosse Point
Woods, Mich, with 292.
Ellsworth Vines of Denver, form
err tennis king, finished down the
line among the 2e5s, along with
Tony Penna of Dayton. o., while
Bob Hamilton, PEA champ from
Evansville, Ind, mad 297. Graf
Wood of Great Neck, Long Island,
duration open champ, was far back
with 301.
Here are todays cards OF the
three leaders: