Evening star., 1948-04-25
Herman Keiser --latest
Addition 10 Brilliant
Tournament List
By Merrell WhittIesey

The Prince Georges Country Club
course, groomed to perfection with
the exception of four new greens
will be closed to its members tonight
and opened to the greatest collection
of name golfers to appear here since
the National Open championship at
Columbia In 1921. In those days
however, there were only half
dozen star performers, now there
are dozens.
The $12,500 National Capital
Open, first stop on the rich PGA
summer tour, and doubly important
to the pros because the tournament
has been allotted Is qualifying places
to the National PGA championship,
gets underway Thursday at $3.50 am.
with the first of four daily l8-hole
rounds. A clinic on Wednesday at
o'clock, termed a 800 golf lesson"
by Gene Sarazen, offlcially in
augurates the event, while Monday
through Wednesday will be prac-
tice days.
The presence OF Ben Hogan,
Jimmy Demaret, Henry Cotton,
Gary Middlecof1 and Frank Strana-
han assures the sponsors OF lar
greater talent than appeared in the
hrst event last year. With wire
from ex-Masters Champion Herman
Keiser yesterday. Pro Al Houghton
was assured of 20 Of the Is leading
money winners on the resent winter
tour.
Stars Influx Starts Today.
Many of the top-name profess
sionals start converging on this area
today. At the Hermitage Club In
Richmond, Demaret and Byron Mel
son meet Bobby Locke and Lloyd
Mangrum, the defending champion
at Prince Georges, in an exhibition
match. At Quantico. Ed Furgol and
Jimmy Thomson are paired against
Lew Worsham. Washington's Ma
tfonal Open champion, and AL JAM
ison in another exhibition.
Washington will have its first
look at Worsham in competition
since he won the Open last year.
and judging from his winning per-
formance in the Cavalier Specialists
tournament last week, the former
pro at Burning Tree and Congress
sional Is ION his stick"
Most of the pros who made the
winter tour will forsake PGA sec
ton qualifying rounds in their home
sections tomorrow and take a
chance of winning one of the Is
berths here. The places are re-
served for PGA members who made
the acknowledgements circuit.
Hogan Extremely Welcome.
Tournament sponsors were ex-
tremely pleased to receive definite
acceptance from Hogan, who has
been in-and-out of the big money
events due to various physical all
ments. Hogan will arrive tomor-
row and on Tuesday will autograph
copies of his new book, Power
Golf, at Brentanos, 1922 F street,
NV, starting at noon.
A starting field Of about $50
players is expected with the low
go and ties qualifying for the last
two rounds Saturday and Sunday.
Entries close tomorrow night at the
club. Joe Kirkwood's trick shot
exhibition is slated for Saturday
afternoon at 4:30.
Although the club cannot be
reached by public transportation,
arrangements have been made for
a special cab rate from the Mount
Rainier street car terminal.
Pros from the Middle Atlantic
section, not eligible for the auto
matte qualifying berths to the
PGA championship in the National
Capital Open, will hold their sec
tional trials tomorrow at Manor
Country Club with three places open
to the starting field OF %. Heavy
favorite to lead the field is Chand-
ler Harner of Portsmouth, Va