Evening star., 1953-09-02
D. {. Golfers Draw
Blank in Qualifying
For National Amateur
By MerreH WhittIesey

Washington drew its first
blank in many years in the
National Amateur qualifying
rounds at Mount Pleasant in
Baltimore yesterday, as service
men stationed in the area won
three of the five places and two
of Baltimore's lesser known
amateurs surprised by winning
the other two.
There have been amateur
championships where the Dis
trict did not have representa-
tive, but at least Bobby Brown
ell or somebody else shot a
qualifying round low enough to
make the trip-and then turned
it down.
The District player who fig
ured to qualify-Bethesda Coun-
try Clubs Ben Hartig-probably
would have made it under ordi-
nary weather conditions. But
after shooting a par 70 in the
morning, Ben wilted under the
extreme heat in the afternoon
and almost collapsed before he
quit after 27 holes. George
Thornton of Indian Spring and
Jay Randolph of Bethesda made
the playoff, but lost.
Two Tie For Medal at 145.
Eddie Johnston seven-time
qualif1er from the Country Club
of Maryland and George Bing-
ham. Fort Belvoir private. from
Kansas City, tied for the medal
with one-over par scores of 145.
Johnston will not make the trip
to Oklahoma City for the cham
pionship starting September IA.
The Baltimoreans who made
1t were Tim Cragg of Rolling
Road and Rip Mann of the C. C.
of Maryland. both for the first
time. Cragg had 72-76 and
Mann 77-72. Ed Finnessy of the
c. C. of Maryland posted a pair
of 75s, but withdrew.
Two sailors from Bainbridge,
Richard Davies of Pasadena,
Calf, and Gene Coulter of Rich
mond, Ind, filled the five spots.
Davies carded 1913 and Coulter
75-77 and a par on the first hole
of the playoff against Thernton's
six and Randolph's seven.
Bigham Low Twice on Circuit.
Bigham twice has won low
amateur honors in tournaments
on the pro golf circuit, and was
in a playoff for a National Open
berth earlier in the year at Con-
gressional. Davies is a former
Southern California basketball
regular and golf team captain.
Coulter is an independent
young man whose dawdling tao
tics tied up the entire course.
When asked nicely if he would
mind speeding it up little and
keeping pace with the players in
front, Coulter replied: I'm not
about to rush around this place"
And he continued to make it
more miserable in the heat than
necessary for those behind him.
The youngsters had horrible
day, including some of the
proudest members of the Dis
trict's junior golf program. Ran
dolph, now a George Washington
sophomore, was the best, but he
killed his chances by hooking
ball out of bounds on the first
hole of the playoff, where it
takes some hook to go out.
Parks Blows Up on Last Hole.
Marty Parks, Baltimore school
boy champion and a Maryland
freshman in two weeks. went
into a mild tantrum on the last
hole and blew to a seven, where
a five would have won place
and six would have made the
playoff Parks missed with
72-81.
Perky Cullinane, the District
schoolboy champion. was the
second highest scorer with 84-83.
The Beman brothers were away
back. Del with 160 and Deane,
the Mid-Atlantic junior cham
pion, 162. Del was out in "a in
the morning and back in 46
for 80.
Jack WeStland, the defending
champion who spent most of the
past year in the District as a
Congressman from the State of
Washington, of course is an
automatic qualifier.