Evening star., 1946-06-05
Boqurt, Out of Golf Since 1941
Co-MeduIist in Mid-AtIuntic
By MerrelI WhittIesey

Five years ago, 21-year-old Ralph
Bogart, the laughing boy of the
links, had two major worries-where
was the next golf tournament to be
played and what time would he
tee off?
That was five years ago. Today
at 26, Bogart has seen most of the
world. He served a year and half
in each the Pacific and European
theaters as Navy pilot, is married,
has baby boy and works six days
a week.
Put Bogart on a golf course, how
ever, and he hasn't aged bit. He
turned out for his first golf tourna-
ment since 1941 yesterday, the 43d
Middle Atlantic amateur champion
ship at Chevy Chase, and tied Bal
timore's Charley Bassler for the
medal with a 2-over-par II. two
excellent rounds over a great golf
course.
He Can't Be Worried.
Bogart still is blase about his golf.
If he hits a good shot, fine. and if
he hits a bad one, what of it?
Three times on the back nine, know
ing he had the medal in his grasp,
Bogart was in trouble. On the 18th
he was in a trap, on the 10th in a
ditch, on the 18th in a path.
Each time he picked out a club,
shrugged his wide shoulders, shot a
remark at his playing partner.
Bobby Brownell, and scrambled to
a par. He's nerveless. Bogart
pared is holes, and went over on
the first and sixth where he barely
missed the green. You never can tell
by watching Bogart whether he's
2 under par or 10 over. He gets a
big kick out Of everything.
Bogart and Bassler, the latter the
tee-shot artist from Baltimore and
half of the Maryland State four
ball championship team. will play
off for the medal, probably Sunday
afternoon. In contrast to Bogart's
fairly steady golf, Bassler had three
brides and four bogeys, one a
double trouble five on the par 3
18th. A veteran Of Pacific combat
with the Marines, the 26-year-old
Bassler also is playing in his first
important event since 1941.
Match Play Underway.
Match play rounds got underway
this morning - without Defending
Champion Claude Rippy. The Rip
per learned a Sunday golfer has
trouble keeping pace with the tour
nament players as he posted one
of his highest scores. an 80, and
missed qualifying by three shots.
Tournament favorite Bobby
Brownell missed medal tie by a
stroke due to a double bogey on
the ninth hole. Brownell, mem
ber of the host club in addition to
Manor, was joined in the 72 bracket
by Columbia's fashion plate, Earle
Skinker, who birdied the last hole
for his best round since his Army
The Chevy Chase course. in its
immaculate condition, dried off
quickly and only three Of the seven
II shooters made the championship
fight. Baltitmore's Otto Greiner,
good enough to qualify for the Ma
tional Open on Monday, made one
of the three pars on the first hole
in the playoff TO win a place.
Manor's Leroy Smith End Edgar
Lucas of Baltimore also won first
16 assignments in the playoff, as
Richmond's top entry. w. Clark Lea,
jr; Joe Wilson and Maury Fitz-
gerald of Kenwood and Rod Marien
of Washington missed out.
Bogart Plays Burnett.
Bogart ran smack into one IF his
old rivals, Volney Burnett, in the
first round but Burnett wasn't rCm-
planning as he was thankful to be
in the running after first nine Il.
He came back in IS for rs. Bogart
and Burnett have a tough Cay as