Evening star., 1947-06-03
II Tourney Berfhs
Still 10 Be Filled
lin Two Sections
By Bob Grub
Asseeia,sd Press Sports Writer

&
NEW YORK, June Bobby
Locke, who has averaged something
like s21.5o per stroke since for
saking the South African veldt two
months ago for the American long
green, still is the guy the ITO other
golfers must beat in the National
Open championship at st. Louis
next week.
The moguls of the United States
Golf Association decided that Bobby,
who already has romped off with the
top prize money in four of the six
major American tournaments this
year, would have to swing his clubs
along with 1877 other pros and
amateurs competing in the qualify
ing round.
Bobby, they pointed out, couldn't
be placed in the ranks of the As
exempt linksmen who will go di-
rectly to the st. Louis firing line
without having to qualify, Those
berths are reserved for members Of
the Walker Cup team, the low 80
scorers in the last open, all former
open champions; the 1947 British
Open champion and the 1916 United
States amateur titlist and the home
club pro.
Arrives Late for Play.
So Bobby hied himself out to
Garden City yesterday to tee off
in the field of 95 Metropolitan dis
trict aspirants. He had had little
sleep since leaving Newton, Mass,
where on Sunday he won the Good
all tourney, and the man gave him
wrong directions, he said. Anyway,
he arrived late for the opening
round, but the Trial Committee
decided to let him play.
The smiling Afrikander-"Puttin'
Pete" the pros call him-put to-
gether cards of 73 and 73 for &c.
hole total of 146, 3 over par. That
placed him in fifth-place tie with
Fred Annon of Greenwich, Conn,
and only one stroke under the
qualifying limit.
Clarence Doser, Hartsdale. N. Y,
pro, paced Metropolitan field with
140 card.
Walking off the home green, pre-
sumably satisfied, Locke was in
formed that he had infringed the
rule against wiping the ball. Wit
nesses said he had nonchalantly
picked up the ball from the 18th
green and gently massaged it in his
fingers as he prepared for his final
putt.
Never Did 1t Before.
II learned that since coming to
this country said the surprised
Locke. IT never did it until I saw
it was customary among your pro-
fessionals."
The Met officials, juggling a hot
potato and with international rela-
tions hanging in the balance, wisely
decided that the rule against clean
ing the ball appears to have suf-
fered many compound fractures
during the day, and it would be an
injustice to penalize such a fine
golfer and gentleman as Mr.. Robert
Locke of johannesburg, South
Africa"
One ''rhubarb" developed among
the 25 qualifying trials played across
the Nation simultaneously. (There
were 26 scheduled. but Canton, Ohio,
postponed its district round until
tomorrow because of rain-soaked
fairways).
st. Louis Decides on RepIay.
Anyway, at st. Louis, it seems the
boys running the meet permitted
some golfers to tee up on soggy
fairways, while others were forbid
den to do so. The trial, with 107
competing, was run off on two
courses. After play was completed, |
the protests became so insistent that !
the st. Louis Committee passed the
buck to USGA headquarters in New
York.
Here. Francis Ouimet, chairman
of USGA's Championship Commit !
tee, suggested either a replay or a
cancellation. ST. Louis decided on
a replay, so they're going out to try
to do it all over again today. That |
and the postponed Canton trial
leaves II tourney berths still to be
filed. I