Evening star., 1952-09-15
5nead Finishing Fast
In Bid for Majority
OF Pro Golf Honors
By MerreII WhittIesey


There has been an accent on
the golf triumphs Of Julius Boros.
National Open and Tam cham
pion; Cary Middlecoff and Jackie
Burke this season, which may be
a slight injustice to q player Of
note from White Sulphur Springs.
one Sam Snead.
With only the Celebrities tour
nament here this week and the
Miami Open in December remain
ing on the PGA schedule this
year, Snead seems to have an
other Vardon Trophy locked up
barring some late heroics by
Middleton.
Sans Eastern Open triumph
in Baltimore yesterday put him
ahead Of Burke in the Ryder Cup
points. and if it weren't for that
big payof in the $75.000 Tam, the
aforementioned four players
would be locked in a four-way
scrap for leading money winner.
>Snead picked up $2.400 for win
ming his first Eastern Open at the
Mount Pleasant course and he will
be able to pass the idle Burke and
become third on the money list by
finishing seventh or higher in the
Celebrities. His 71-67-68-69 for q
record 275 score in the Eastern
boosted his lead in the Vardon
Trophy race for the low-scoring
leader.
Age No Handicap to Snead.
When the pros reported to Bal
timore for practice rounds early
last week, there was rumor that
the sponsors we're willing to give
Snead appearance money and that
he might be last-minute entry.
II hope he stays away" two OF
the younger contenders told Irv-
ing Schloss. the host pro, "this
course is made for him."
The pros are envous and jeal-
Gus of Snead, but respect him.
Ed Oliver. probably the best-liked
guy in pro golf. who finished sec
ond to Sam yesterday. was kid
ding Snead about ages in the
locker room while they were
dressing for the presentation.
When Snead left the room,
Oliver said, 1T doesn't make any
difference how old that guy is,
he'll be winning tournaments
when he's co." "
Sam is 38 and never looked
better. He says he's tired, having
flown to South American after
the Tam to win the Brazilian
Open. He returned home to win
a small title. the West Virginia
Open. only because it was played
over his home Greenbriar course.
That was a command perform
ance. He finished second at Al
bany last week and then won the
Eastern.
Sans Play Superlative.
To the students of golf, who ap-
preciate hitting the green's as
perfect golf from tee to g4een,
Snead'S performance at Mount
Pleasant was Superlative. In 72
holes he missed only four greens
and in the first 81 he missed only
two. He three-putted seven times.
which is excusable over the huge
green's at the Baltimore public
course.
Sam had 20 brides in the 70
holes. After a II in the first round
in his second look at the course, he
warmed to the task and broke 10
in each of the other rounds. His
score was four shots better than
the tournament record 279 held by
Middlecof and Lloyd Mangrum.
Oliver, who made a 70-footer
for the TV cameras on the I'D
hole of the National Open this
year to finish second, dropped q
25-footer for the TV audience
yesterday for a 11-under par 277
and runnerup honors. Big Ed re-
ceived long ovation after the
putt, much greater than for Snead,
the winner.
Finish Lacks Drama.
The finish lacked the drama Of
the two past Eastern Opens.
Snead was three strokes ahead,
starting the final round and
birdied four of the first five holes.
He couldn't do anything wrong.
On the first hole q wild second
shot hit small iron pipe and the
ball bounded onto the fairway,
from where Sam almost holed out
for an eagle. On the 18th, hole
that cost Clayton Heafner the
tournament last year, Sans ball
hit a spectator and took favor
able bounce. He pared the hole.
Ted Kroll, second to Sam start
ing the last round, never chal-
lenged and finished third, saving
a couple hundred dollars when
fourth-place Johnny Bulla missed
a 12-inch putt on the last green.
Lawson Little made the best move
Of the final round, a 81 which gave
him a 5000 pay day with Skee
Riegel. George Fazio, the ex-
Woodmont (Bethesda, Md pro,
finished 2 over par on the last six
and won $3.50, but that finish cost
him big money.
With the summer tour nearing
an end and everybody weary, irri-
table and over-golfed. there were
a few displays Of temper. Middle
coff, playing poorly. was disturbed
, over the time Riegel and Fazio
were taking and he said he was
quitting on the 18th hole, but
= Harvey Raynor, the tournament
director, talked him into playing
II ont