Evening star., 1948-05-03
Sixth in Money List,
Winner Over Locke
Wanted Bid 10 Meet
By MerreII WhittIesey

"cttSu VHVttSSey
For a fellow who had just won his
biggest golf tournament and moved
into sixth place in money winnings
for 1948, Skip Alexander wasn't in
very good humor when he left
late last night for his home in Lex
ington, N. c.
The new National Capital Open
champion would have preferred to
be heading the other way-New
Rochelle, N. Y, and the Goodall
round robin that starts Thursday
but 1t seems he didn't get an in
vitation and that made him mad.
What does a dude have to do
(everybooy is dude to the drawing
Southerner) to rate that tourna-
ment," Skip said Il was eighth on
the money list when they sent the
invitations and I think I belong in
there over about 10 of the Is they
named"
Will Return Next Year.
Alexander had another regret
and that was that he couldn't wrap
up the Prince Georges course and
take it with him. Never out of the
Gus IN two years of the tournament.
So under par and tied for second
one year and champion the next,
Alexander had reason for calling
it his fayorite golf course. BE back
next year? You couldn't keep me
away" Skip said, and tournament
sponsors gave assurance there will
be third tournament in l949. Alex
ander finished yesterday with So for
III to runnerup Bobby Locke'S PIT.
Despite daily showers and the
fact that Wednesdays clinic, which
inquired to net about $1,000. was
ralned out, the $12,500 event was
expected to show a slight profit
When all season tickets were turned
In. The tournament cost about 500
600, including the clinic ($1,50O) and
general expenses around $4,000.
The flnsl round proved somewhat
OF letdown for the 5000 spectators.
The anticipated Alexander-Locke
stretch duel did not materialize, and
1t was obvious from the first few
holes that Ben Hogan and Cary
Mlddlecoff would not threaten. Mid
dlecoff had and 7 on the
first and fourth holes, while Hogan
mad 3-foot puts for brides on the
flrst two holes and not onlv didn't
make them, but didn't hit the hole
with either stroke.
1t Was Alexander All Way.
1t was all Alexander. Skip wasn't
playing perfect golf-far from it
put he was playing winning golf,
He mad nine one-putt greens in his
hnal round, and on both the 10th
and 18th holes when he was trapped
and threatened to lose shots to par
ne came out nicely and was down in
one putt. He said his best shot was
an approach on the 14th where he
rolled the ball within feet of the
cup from bad lie. He had been
IN the trees twice on that hole.
Alexander's improvement as a
golfer dates back to last November
when he changed his swing and
started using slow, deliberate
oacksWlng. Il don't know what
that other swing looked like, but it
wasn't very good" Skip said. I'll
used to hit three or four out of
bounds and eight or nine in the trees
during a tournament. Now l only
hit three or four in the trees and
hardly ever 60 out Of bounds"
National Open Champion Lew
Worsham, tritie burned over being
out of the money with 1872, was
standing nearby and acknowledged
that Skip was one Of the most
changed players on the circuit.
Nobody hits the ball consistently
farther than he does" Lew said.
Hes real slugger and keeps them
much straighter than he used to-"
Worsham, incidentally, 4-putted the
third green.
Wet Course Handicaps Locke.
1t wasn't one of those finishes
where the low man is in the club
house receiving congratulations and
somebody winds up fast to beat
him out. Locke still was an hour
away when Alexander finished, but
Bobby was having his troubles and
Skip knew he was home.
A participant was diagnosing
Lockes game and said Locke's
swing wasn't adapted to wet turf. !
He explained the way Locke came !
into the ball it almost had to slide
off the club If the grass was wet, as
it was late Saturday and all day
yesterday.
Locke agreed that the ball kept
sliding off his iron clubs, but the
reason he gave was that the punch |
marks on the face of his clubs were |
not holding the ball. He said he had
to battle to keep his shots straight
Locke wasn't looking for any con-
ISOLATION, however. "I'll take second
place in every tournament and nev-
er have to apologize" he said. His
check was 81 800 to Alexander's 81
200.
Ben Hogan's third place finish at
280, 8 under par, was a tribute to
his accurate shotmaking. Hogan
was pounding at the pins with
woods and irons, but he didn't have
control of his putter and finished