Evening star., 1951-05-14
I riunph in Greenbrier Open
Enriches Sneod, SweHs Pride
By MerreII WhittIesey

EHTICneS One00x
By MerreII WhittIesey
Stur Stoff Correspondent
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
w. Va, May 14.-Sam Sneadl
cleaned up $3.865 in the fourth
Greenbrier Open concluded
here yesterday, one Of the biggest
checks of his career, and he was
saying in the locker room that
II got bigger kick out of win
ming this one over my home course
than any tournament I've won in
a long time. Some folks were say
ing I couldn't win it, but I kinda
showed 'em."
This was Sans first trip to the
winners circle since he hurt his
hand while winning the Miami
Open in December. He was II
under par for four rounds with
67-67-65-64, good for $500. He
picked up another $1,000 for his
first-place finish with Paul Shields
in the Pro- Amateur, and 1855 for
tying with Jock Mclean as part
ner for third in the Pro-Am.
And he took down two addi-
tional $500 checks yesterday, one
for low round with his "a and one
for So best ball with Shields as
a partner.
Injury Still Bothers Sam.
It has been many years since
Snead waited six and a half
months between first-place checks.
His bad wrist was the big reason.
of course. and he said it still
bothered him a little. MY left
hand is weak and it's going to
take lot Of work before the Ma
tional Open. / want to be ready
for that one" he said.
Sam would have had a tough
time proving that his left wrist
was very weak. II was driving it
good" Sam said. and then added,
''for me-" A remark that brought
a big laugh from his listeners.
He missed one fairway for the
day. and over a course that is not
dry it was figured later that he
averaged better than 800 yards off
the tee.
The expected two-man scrap
for top money between Snead and
Jim Ferrier was over quickly i
They were tied at 199 at the end
Of 81 holes. seven shots better
than third low scorer. Snead
started with a birdie yesterday
Ferrier with a bogey. and Jim
never caught up.
Barely Misses Long Deuce.
Sam added three more brides
and a magnificent eagle on the
535-yard 18th hole. On the latter
he drove BIS yards in the rough,
then smacked q two-iron that al
most went in the hole for a dodo
deuce. He easily one-putted from
2 feet for an eagle.
Ferrier needs little sympathy, ;,
however. although his total does
MT count in the leading money
list because this is not q PGA-
sponsored event, Ferrier still can
spend the $1,000 for his second
place 267. and the $3.50 he won
for second in the pro-am with
Harry Daumit Of Miami Beach. If
this had been PGE event Fer
rier'would have topped the absent
Lloyd Mangrum In money win
nings for the year.
Snead, incidentally, was a bit
OF the reporters, who said
he won the tournament for the
first time. @
"They held a White Sulphur
Springs Open here in 1898 with
Billy Burke, Guldahl and a lot
Of other good players here and
won that one" he said.
I'm fact I've got q clipping that
shows me pushing a wheelbarrow
full OF nickels. which they were
supposed to have paid me off in.
It wasn't q real wheelbarrow full,
ne added in an apologetic man
ner, "they just threw some nickels
over q box"
Plans Arduous Practice.
Sam outlined his program be-
tween now and the National Open
in Detroit June 1915.
"I'd like to go to Oakland Hills
and see what kind of shots I'm
going to need the most and then
practice them three hours a day,
and that will help me strengthen
my hand, too," he said.
Snead will play in the $4,000
Colonial Invitation opening May
"a at Fort Worth. but will skip the
Palm Beach Round Robin Just
before the Open. "That takes seven
rounds and I don't want to be
worn out before the Open starts"
he said.
Snead's wife, Audrey. was saying
on the terrace that she too will
help with Sans preparations for
the Open. Their 6-year-old young
ster, Jackie, must have another
operation to straighten his vision
but it won't be before the Open
or PGA. Sam worries too much
when Jackie is being operated on