Evening star., 1951-04-09

titles and find not one of major
Importance missing.
Hogan and Robert (Skee) Riegel,
who finished second with a fine
282. were all alone at the head
of the class. With a final-round
68. Hogan whipped the two third
place f1nishers, Lloyd Mangrum
and Lew Worsham. by six strokes.
while Riegel, their Junior in ex-
perience and publicity, spanked
them by four.
Worsham Under Par.
Mangrum and Worsham. both
former National Open champions.
had 286s to complete the list of
golfers good enough to beat par.
Dave Douglas shot an even par
28S.
Twenty-Five months ago the
sports world wondered about the
future of Ben Hogan. But Ben
lived through the injuries and
broken bones his body suffered
in West Texas in 1949 when his
automobile and bus met in dis
aSter.
He began his comeback. some
thing a champion seldom does. by
tying Sam Snead in the Los
Angeles Open of 1850. Sam won
the playoff.
Last summer at Merton, Ben put
his comeback in the past tense
when he won the National Open.
His victory in the 18th Masters at
80 years of age merely confirmed
the fact that when Hogan is in a
major tournament field the best
thing to do is pick him to win.
Ben Plays it Safe.
After his victory on the vicious
5000 yards of the National, Ben
quietly and humbly said, II would
be satisfied if I never won an
other tournament. I've certainly
had more than my share"
Hogan played it safe on the
final round over the soaked but
sunny National course.
II played it safe" Ben said,
mot the way I like to play. The
only way to win was to play 1t
safe"
His strategy was almost flawless.
He didn't go over par on a hole
and had four brides. His best
shot was holing a 20-foot putt on
the eighth for a birdie four.
Level-headed Ben also was not
stampeded into a change in plans
by the Masters. He's sticking
closely to his decision to play
this year only in the White Sui
|phur Springs tournament in early
May, the Colonial in late May
and the Open.
Lawson Little finished with 289,
Including a final-round 70, for
sixth. and Jim Ferrier, the pre-
tournament pick to win, was
seventh with 290-72 of those
strokes coming on the final round.
Rough Day for Snead.
While Hogan's job was made
complete, Snead was anything but
happy. He blew to an 80 today
his first such lofty score in years
to take a 291 and tie Johnny
Bulla and Byron Nelson for
eighth place.
No blowup. however, could
equal that of William CDynamite)
IGoodloe, the twenty-five amateur
from Valdosta, Ga. Goodloe was
almost assured of becoming low
amateur with a three-round score
lof 217. An 88 yesterday ruined
Dynamite, a chubby, colorful fell
low who outdrew every golfer ex-
Icept Hogan.
Charles Coe of Oklahoma City
won the low amateur Masters
title with 293. Dick Chapman of
Pinehurst, N. c., was second low
with 297, and National Amateur
Champion Sam Urzetta of Roches-
ter, N. Y, was third with 298.
Fazio Finishes Eighteenth.
Worsham, who played the final
round with Hogan, posted his
second straight par 70 after shoot
ing Ills in the first two rounds.
Worsham climaxed his best year
on the winter circuit with a check
for $1,162.50 which boosted him
to third place in the pros stand
ings, behind Mangrum, the new
leader, and Ferrier.
George Fazio. representing
Woodmont Club in Washington
scared to 80 and tied for 18th
place. Fazio was the first-roundI
leader with a 68. but he gradually
dropped back with 74s the second
and third rounds.
Chandler Harper, the PGA
champion from Portsmouth. Va.