Evening star., 1951-06-05
SEow-Moving Isoocs Sets Too Speedy Pace
For Youngsters in National Open Qualifying
By MerreII WhittIesey

Inefe ISN'T q clup pro In MARY
land. Virginia or the District who
can match Jack 1saacs' record for
the last few seasons and. at his
present pace, there doesn't appear
Ito be one who will catch him In
the next few.
Washington golfers look upon
the Langley Field pro with the
waltz-time swing almost as one
of their own. He's up here often
and wins almost every time. Yes
terday he won the gold medal as
the low qualifler from this section
lfor the National Open with rounds
Iof 10 and go at Prince Georges
for 139.
In the Open qualifying through
out the Nation there were only II
scores lower than Isaacs' f1ye
under par. And it is doubtful
that many golfers received better
test than those who played at
Prince Georges yesterday. The
course has a new length Of 1883
yards, and the hard rains Sun
day night made the field work
for its yardage. The greens were
lin such fine shape that the play
|ers just wanted to roll them up
and take them home.
Won Regional Medal in PGA.
Isaacs topped the sectional Open
|qualifiers less than two weeks
after he won the medal In the
sectional rounds for the PGA at
Congressional. There he had 66-
72-13S. Jack has won the Vir-
ginia Open the last two years and
the Maryland Open in 1949. He
broke the Columbia course record
with a 66 in the Maryland Open
here last year, but slunped to rs
in the second round to finish Sec
ond. He's won the Middle At
lantic PGA, dozens Of pro sweep
stakes and just about everything
in the area.
Every time Jack qualities for q
National tournament. somebody
asks him his age. He now has
qualified five times for the Ma
tional PGA and five times for the
National Open, and the last few
times has been saying he's SO. His
Tidewater tVa,) buddies. John
O'Donnell and Harold Oatman,
claim he's A..
But whatever Isaacs' age, his
golf game is getting better. May
be I'm getting smarter" he said
late yesterday with a laugh. "I
have to go to bed at 8 o'clock now
before I play tournament golf and
that keeps me sharp"
At Langley for Is Years.
Isaacs was Virginia born (Rich-
mon0 and raised. He has been
pro at Langley Field for 13 years.
and before that was at Newport
News for f1ve years. His first pro
job was the Chesterfield Club in
Richmond.
Isaacs Is q slow. lazy swinger,
and he walks and acts in the same
manner.
"You have to play good golf In
these tournaments with members
like mine" Jack said after his
place was assured. They tell me
to qualify or not come back. u
They gave Jack d dinner at his
club several weeks ago. and one
of his gifts was a-watch with dia-
mond numerals.
Isaacs' best in q previous Ma
tional Open was a tie for 3rd att
Medinah In 1949, q position he
shared with Jim Ferrier, Chick
Harbert and Horton Smith, which
is pretty good company. He has
been forewarned of the pitfalls of
Oakland Hills this year, but Jacks
the type who won't worry about it.
Jimmy Thomson, the biggest
name golfer in the field yesterday, 4,
will go to the Open In Detroit
June 14-16, but only as a good
will man for his company. The
big hitter failed by seven strokes
to qualify with his 78-76-154.
Bassler Qualities.
Isaacs' companions from this
section in Detroit will be:
Charley Bassler, the Maryland
open champion from Rolling
Road, who like Isaacs also quail
fled for the PGA. The 29-year-
old Bassler qualified for his third
Open with IA and 68, best round
|of the day in the afternoon, for
|142.
Dan Herring, 26-year-old Peters
burg tVa.), pro, who win play In
his first National championship.
Herring is a little fellow but has
been touted for three seasons by
his fellow Virginians. and he justi-
fled their buildup yesterday when
he rallied for a 10 after a morn
ing IA for IA.
Andy Gibson, 41-year-old Scots
man from Baltimore. whose broth
er is amateur champion of Scot
land. Andy qualified for his third
Open after some plucky golf in
a late playof with John ODonnell
of Norfolk, a PGA qualif1er. Glib
son knew he had to play the last
nine in par to tie the early-start-
ing O'Donnell and he did, shooting