Evening star., 1947-01-13
Planned
AS Golf Pros Head
For New Tourney
by the Assoeioisd Press

PEBBLE BEACH, Calf, Jan. 13.
Personal differences within the
ranks of the Professional Golfers
Association, which flared into the
open with a lone punch, one down"
effect, had snatched top billing to-
day, along with the tournament In
which the incident was inspired
the $4,000 Bing Crosby Invitational
Pro-Amateur.
But talk OF a split in the ranks
Of the PGA was decried by the
nigh officials as they planned
an investigation OF the incident.
Tournament Committee Chairman
George Schneiter declared, The
PGA as an organization is in accord
more than ever before"
The majority of the touring pro-
fessionals headed today for the
Richmond California; $4,000 Open.
to be held next Thursday through
Sunday.
Exceptions included Sam Snead
of Hot Springs. Va, who left for
home to take his 2h year -old son
to a specialist for an eye operation.
Other Richmond absentees will
include Lloyd Mangrum, Craig
Wood and John Bulla, all l1navail-
able for personal business reasons,
and Hermann Barron, who said he
had~ previous commitments in Los
Angeles.
Metz Admits Striking Blow.
The man who went down from a
blow in the mouth was Fred Cor
coran, tournament manager of the
PGA for the last 10 years. The
man who readily admitted he struck
the blow was Dick Metz, one of the
leading pro golfers from Wichita,
KanS.
It took place in nearby Carmel
last Friday night. Corcoran said
the matter was an "unprovoked as
sault" and told a roomful of inter-
viewers he was contemplating fill
ing a civil suit against Metz. He
spent night in the hospital for a
|cbeckup, which disclosed a bruised
mouth, some loosened teeth but no
conclusion from being knocked
down.
Metz not only confirmed the ep-
isode, but gave out. statement.
in which he said;
st understand Mr.. Corcoran was
slightly injured, which I deeply re-
gret. In the midst of the argument,
Mr.. 1Corcoran angrily turned around
toward me in what I judged to be a
menacing manner. I reacted spon-
taneously in self-defense." :"
Corcoran declared: Metz struck
me in the mouth without warning
The blow knocked me down and I
spent the night in hospital. =
This was a sneak punch. was the
victim of Pearl Harbor.' Metz in
vited me to ride with him and Hor-
ton Smith to Carmel for dinner.
When we reached there Metz took
me by the arm and said Let's take
a walk We walked a few steps
when it happened. I did not see the
punch coming and landed fiat on
rpy back" ~ sessas1saa i
Faxio and Furgol avictors.s~a y
The tournament victors were
George Fazio Of Los Angeles and Ed
NfgolN Of DetroitssEae tied I'm the
54-l1oIe event with scores of 213, and
Snead, who paired with Roger Kelly,
Los Angeles, to capture the pro-
amateur competition. Snead and
Kelly, had 54-hole best ball score
of 1856.
Fazio and Furgol each won 81 500
for low tieing score among the pro-
fessionals while Snead pocketed ST.
900 for his share in helping win
the pro-amateur title. In addition,
Furgol picked up an extra $425 for
his part in the pro-amateur event
while Snead got $733 for his feat
in tieing for third place in the
strictly professional scoring. Low
scoring amateurs won radios.
(Washington's Lew Worsham
tied for 18th in both divisions. In
the professional play Worsham
added 78 to tie Charles Congdon
at 223. Worsham and Marshall
Duffield finished with a best ball
II in the pro-am play for 207o
Top officials of the PGA, deploring
the Corcoran-Me incident, said a
meeting would be held shortly to
determine what action would be
taken.
Tournament Chairman Schneiter,
named a committee of six to work
with him. He said the committee
was "in accord with the tournament
bureau policy" the bureau which
Corcoran heads. Schneiter also said
"the PGA has code of ethics which
automatically determines the con-
duct of all it's members"
It is known that Metz and Corco-
ran have not been on friendly terms
for the differences have been only
vaguely outlined.