Evening star., 1953-06-23
Great Try by Bolton
Almost Ties BassIer.
For Area PGA Title
By MerreII Whittlesey

AA0 SAA SVOAJ dDOOt O4Ic ma"
tional Open championship is
that it's lost more often than
1t is won.
That's what happened in the
Middle Atlantic PGA champion
ship in Baltimore yesterday. It
was lost by Fred Bolton, the
6-foot-5 slugger from Wood
mont. but he gave it a magnifi-
cent try.
Charley Bassler. the Rolling
Road pro, won for the second
straight year with a 70-66-136
at Woodholme. eight under par
for So holes Charley picked up
$3.50. the William Baskervill
Memorial Trophy, and a medal.
In the last four years Charley
has been second to George Fazio,
second to Johnny MuSser and
the winner twice.
Before explaining how Bolton
lost. it's only fair TO add that
the Woodholme course the pros
played yesterday was not the
layout of a year ago. Four of
the holes have been shortened so
much that the course is playing
two or three strokes easier. AL
most 500 yards have been taken
off. and 26 sub-par rounds were
posted by the 56 players.
Eight Under With Six to Go.
Bassler finished his SO holes
while Bolton still had eight to
play. Charley's total vas eight
under. and by finishing 3-3-4-3-3
on the front nine, Bolton had
zoomed six under.
Big Freddie birdied the par
five 18th the easy way, and the
par five 18th the hard way and
he, too, was eight under with |
six to play. On the short 18th |
he almost made a hole -in-one,
but the ball glanced off the pin
and rolled feet past. He missed
his birdie putt.
Bolton pared the 14th, or
32nd, but on the next hole he
admitted later he didn't think
too sharply and drove into a
ditch he didn't think he could
reach. He took a penalty stroke,
trapped his next, and took 6 on
the par four. 1t looked like Bass
ler was home.
But to Fred's credit, he didn't
let the 6 bother him. He birdied
the next hole and now needed
a birdie on one of the two fin
ishing holes to tie. He hit a
fine tee shot 10 feet from the
hole on the short 17th and the
putt Tipped the cup, but stayed
out.
Climax on No. 1S.
The 18th at Woodholme is a
dog-leg par S. Freddie poured
his big frame into a perfect tee
shot. He had only a f1ve-iron to
the green but had to hook it
slightly because of overhanging
trees. From a deep clover lie
Bolton hit the finest five-iron of !
his career. but the Woodmont /,
pros ball hit a hard spot and !
rolled over the green. |
Freddie had to get down in !
two to tie. He had a mound be-
tween his ball and the cup. He
studied. the shot for three or
four minutes. with Bassler look |
ing on and f1dgeting. Bolton fin
ally putted and the ball rolled 8
teet past. He missed the birdie !
putt coming back.
There was great speculation
on what club Bolton should have
used from off the green. Dozens
of people examined the spot
where his ball was. Walter
Romans hit six wedge shots after
1t was over and said his worst
was closer than Bottoms putt
from off the green. Some pros
said Freddie should have used
a f1ve-iron. Some said he was
right in using a putter. Freddie |
said his ball was on a bare spot !
and a putter was the only club. !
That shot was the big one.
NOTES-Clif1 Spencer posted
a pair of 70s. aided by shorts
and tennis shoes. He said the
heat would have been too much
If he had worn heavy golf shoes
and Slacks. Three District
pros were tied for the halfway
lead. Al Jamison, Bobby Bowers
and Bolton with Cos. . Charley
BetSchler and Ralph Beach tied
for the senior title and the Scott !
Trophy with morning TBS.
Bassler was over par only twice,
both times on par SIS. He had 10
brides, Bolton IL.