Evening star., 1947-09-01
3IAussie Net Bid Held Futile Despite Doubles Win
Palmer I Strokes Up
On Oliver in Western
After Sizzling "a
By the Associoied Press

SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. l.
Dark-skinned Johnny Palmer, the
young Badin, N. c., professional, was
hot on the trail of first-place money
today as a -bedecked field teed
off for the fourth and final round
of the $12,500 Western Open golf
tournament.
The 29-year- -old Palmer has been
runnerup in five major 1947 tourna-
ments, but never so close to the Will
ner's circle as he was after shooting
yesterdays 81, just one stroke OF the
competitive record for the Salt Lake
City Country Club course.
Strong on the scent of the $4,000
first prize, the Southerner fired
deadly approach shots and putted
magnificently as he ran his 54-hole
total to 201, Is under par, and
jumped into the third round. lead.
After watching Palmer run down
one 30-foot putt for birdie deuce
on the 247-yard fifth hole and one
putt eight greens, his playing COM
panion, Jimmy Demaret Of Houston,
Tex, declared I've never seen any
better golf than Johnny dished out
today"
Two strokes behind Palmer was
a deadly competitor. Ed "Porky"
Oliver of Wilmington, Del, who
might have been in first place ex-
cept for some bad luck with bras
sic as he shot a SO yesterday for a
three-round total of 203.
Oliver Has Brassie Trouble.
Oliver was sailing along 3-under-
par when a braSsie shot on the $780,
yard 18th dropped in a creek and
he wound up with 2-over-par 7.
I've never had confidence in that
club and never should have used II"
he commented. I'm putting it away
for keeps"
But the stout, red-faced veteran,
who won the Western Open the last
time he played it in 1941, showed
his courage by shooting brides on
the next two holes to get back the
lost strokes and wind up with a score
that was terrific under the circum-
stances.
Bob Hamilton of Evansville, Ind,
who was tied with Oliver for the
leadership after the second round,
missed five puts Of four feet or less
and finished with a 10 for 204 and
third place.
Utah's picturesque course In the
canyons below the Wasatch noun
tain range continued to be an easy
target for the Nations top profess
sionals and amateurs as IS broke
par for the day. Thirty-o one of the
54-hole scores were under par.
Dick Metz OF Arkansas City, Kans.,
and Edward Furgol of Pontiac,
Mich, were deadlocked in fourth
place at 2O5. Tied at 2O6 were Bobby
Locke Of johannesburg, South AZ
rica, the leading 1947 money winner;
George Payton of Hampton, Va,
and Clayton Heafner Of Charlotte,
NC.
Worsham Has 207 Total.
Next at 207 came National Open
Champion Lew Worsham of Wash
ington, D. c.; DR.. Cary Middlecof o.
Memphis, Tenn: Jim Ferrier Of San
Francisco, Calf, and Lloyd Man
grum of Chicago.
Locke, the pre-tournament fav-
orite, complained that poor putting
was responsible for his sixth-place
position, five strokes off the pace
He declared that he had made "just
three long puts in the whole tour
nament."
Defending Champion Ben Hogan
of Hershey, Pa, was SO far down
the list at 214 that the crowning
Of a new champion was certain.
A tournament oddity was the ex-
perience of George Schneiter of
Ogden, Utah, who has 200. On the
18th green yesterday Schneiter said
he was forced to three putt because
each time he drew back to hit the
bail big horsef1y lit on it and
spoiled his aim,