Evening star., 1951-10-25
British hRyder Cup Baby Steals ShowHere
By MerreIl WhittIesey

claims any knowledge of challeng-
ling Ben Hogan, is the glamor boy
of the British Ryder Cup team
But the player who commanded
the most attention as the invad-
ing pros visited Columbia Coun.
try Club yesterday was the baby
30-year-old Harold Weetman.
Weetman, an assistant pro up tc
la few months ago, was the last
selection on the 10-man team that
will meet the American Ryder Cur
players November "a at Pine
hurst, N. c.
He made it by winning the
British match play championship
equivalent to our PGA. Weet-
mans victims included two men,
bers OF the British team and
Henry Cotton, whose golf still
is good enough to make the British
team, but whose department is not
Weetman Stocky, Shy.
Weetman is a stocky, curly
haired young man. trifle on the
shy side. This is his first trip to
this country.
He amazed the small gallery
that braved yesterdays rain by
using six and seven irons from
places where his teammates were
using three and four irons. I'm
strong hitter" he admitted.
Weetmsn, who played the par
10 course in SO strokes. and Faulk-
ner were the pros who killed the
driving contests that used to pre-
cede the pro tournaments in Eng
land. They won so many times.
driving contests were replaced by
sand-trap exhibitions.
Weetman hopes to do well
enough in the Ryder Cup matches
and the North-South Open that
follows to merit a return visit to
this country. Some of the British
followers say he may be year or
two from his peak.
Trip Too Much for Weetman.
Yesterday was the first day
Weetman has been on his feet in
a week. The trip on the Queen
Mary was too much for him and
it took the two days the team
spent in New York for him to
recover.
Four Of the British pros shot par
or better at Columbia yesterday,
an excellent showing considering
it was their first golf in more than
a week except for a few practice
shots Monday at Winged Foot.
Jimmy Hargreaves. who came
within a 6-foot putt on the third
hole OF starting with four straight
IS; Arthur Lees and Fred DAILY
had par rounds. The highest was
John Panton with a rs.
NOTES.-The British players
spoke of their high hopes for
victory at dinner in their honor
at Columbia last night. but most
of the Middle Atlantic pros who
watched the exhibition figured the
British team would win anywhere
from none to three Of the 10
Ryder Cup points. Andy Glib
son, the Scotsman from the Coun-
try Club of Maryland in Baltimore,
grew up with Jimmy Adams of the
team and worked with him
as an assistant pro before Gibson
came to the United States in 1890.
The British team left by sleeper
last night for Pinehurst and will
start practice today -.
Nine members of the American
team will play a 54-hole tourna-
ment Saturday and Sunday at
the Cavalier Club in Virginia
Beach. Their off-again. on-again
match with the Middle Atlantic
pros was dropped yesterday when
AL Houghton could not get team
together on short notice Ben
Hogan will be the only absentee
at Virginia Beach.
The best score Of those who
accompanied the British team yes
terday was 73 by George Voigt
Columbia Pro Fred Mcleod
still has his left arm in a sling,
protecting a severe muscle sprain
he suffered recently. He will be
one of hundreds of Washing
who plan to attend the
Pinehurst matches.