Evening star., 1952-06-17
Concession 10 Boros,
Exhibition by Hogan
Stir PGA Controversy
By Merrell Whittlesey
Stor Stoff Correspondent

|PGA championship starting here
tomorrow may be one of two in
|cidents that will rock the organ
ization before the week is out.
Although the invitation to
Boros. an apprentice pro from
Southern Pines, N. c.. met with
popular public reaction. inasmuch
|as it increased the prestige of
the PGA championship. many of
the pros are not happy. despite
their affection for Boros.
Doug Ford, Tommy Bolt and
AL Besselink proved from jan
uary to the National Open that
they were better golfers than
Boros" a former National Open
champion said. "yet they're left
out of the PGA because, like
Boros, they're not members. He
gets in because he's the Open
champion" Ford, Bolt and Bes-
selink preceded Boros on the
money-winning list before the
Open.)
Hogan Crowds Rules.
Another potentially troublesome
incident. in the view of some Il
the pros, is that Ben Hogan is
playing an exhibition in Indian
apolis, ITO miles from here, on
Thursday and yet he refuses to
play in the PGA championship be-
cause it's too much of a grind.
There was a feeling here last
night that Hogan may be called
on the carpet for playing an ex-
hibition just outside the 100-mile
radius of the PGA. No member
who does not compete in a PGA-
sponsored tournament is supposed
to play in a conflicting event
within 100 miles.
A hasty poll of the Executive
Committee made Boros eligible
for the PGA, although he lacks
almost three years of the re-
quired f1ve-year apprenticeship
necessary to become PGA mem
|ber..
Julius, whose Open triumph in
Dallas was the most surprising
since Tony Manero's victory in
1896, intended to visit his
9-month-old son and his family
and in-laws in Connecticut and
Massachusetts for the next two
weeks.
However, he had been persuaded
by PGA officials to stop in Louis
willie to take part in the clinic
even though he wasn't eligible
for the tournament, inasmuch as
this city practically was on his
way home. In the meantime he
was made eligible to compete.
Financial Motive Seen.
A tagging advance sale toward
the $4,000 put up by the spon-
sors was believed to be one of the
reasons for Boros' presence. Until
his appearance was official. four
of the top five pros in the Ma
tional Open were not scheduled
to compete here. The others were
Hogan, Johnny Bulla and George
Fazio.
In 1947 the PGA made an ex-
|ception to allow Bobby Locke, a
South African. to play in the
|PGA. The move caused a storm
of criticism. He was beaten in
the second round and has not
played since.
However, the general public has
been Of the opinion that the PGA
was too strict in its qualifications
for its championship. The 1910
Open champion. Lawson Little,
and the 1949 winner, Cary Mid
dlecoff, were not permitted to
play in the PGA because they
were not members.
An official of the PGA who
preferred not to be. named said
similar action might have beer
taken in Middlecoff's behalf after
he won the Open in 1949 except
that Cary long has been a PGA
batter, and since he left the anna
teur ranks has been outspoker
against the principles of the or
ganization. He is now eligible fol
the first time.
On the other hand, the easy
going Boros has complied with the
wishes Of the PGA. participated
in the pre-tournament clinics ano
agreed to make an appearance
here before he knew the ma
chinery was in motion to make
him eligible.
WOrsham in Spotlight Again.
Boros will play his qualifying
rounds with Lew Worsham, the
ex-Washingtonian and now Oak
mont pro in Pittsburgh, and
Johnny Palmer.
Thus for the sixth and seventh
straight rounds in the last three
major tournaments Worsham will
be in the spotlight. He played
with Hogan in the last round of
the Masters when Hogan and
Snead were tied for the lead.
Lew played with Hogan in the
first two rounds of the National
Open when Ben was in the spot
light as the defending champion
and tournament leader, and he
played with Boros in the third
and fourth rounds of the Open
More people watched Worsham
play at Dallas than any other
Iplayer.
A Southern State Open cham
lpion, representative of the club
lpros in the PGA, said he was in
favor of pulling out of the PGA
and taking his assistant with him
if the organization has bylaws
that could be changed with a
telegraphic vote. Il like Julius
(See PGA. Page A-20.)