Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-10
Hogan Stroke Back
OF Amateurs 1M;;
Mangrum Tied for Sd
By MerreII WhittIesey
Star Stoff Correspondent

score OF between II and 30
when I get back on my game. I"
as he put it.
But after taking no worse than
"a on a cold, bleak day on which
nobody broke par for the round.
Patton found he had taken over
the lead In the Masters golf tour
nament with an evep-par total
Of LA for the SO holes.
Now Billy 10 is talking with
reservations. I've been awfully
lucky to get this far, but some
thing could happen now," he
said with a twinkle in his eyes
after his second round yesterday.
BY something happening, Of
course, he meant the possibility
Of his winning.
No amateur ever has won the
Masters, but no player with a
golf1ng background as incon-
spicuous as Patton's ever has led
at the halfway mark, either.
Hogan Making Mistakes.
With rounds of 70 and "a over
this immaculate layout, Patton
finds himself q stroke ahead of
the great Ben Hogan, two ahead
of Lloyd Mangrun and Bob
Rosburg, and three ahead of
Sam Snead and Tommy Bolt.
It's still much too close to make
an evaluation except of course
that Hogan still is the man to
beat. But Hogan Is making mis-
takes, like everybody else.
It's refreshing to find a new
name on top. even if it's only at
the halfway point. The folks
here have taken Mixing to Pat
ton.
Billy 10 seems to be a real nice
guy. He doesn't have a good
golf swing. in fact he does many
things wrong, including taking
the club back like a streak of
lightning. But he's still on top.
Patton just barely qualified to
play here. He was an alternate
on last years Walker Cup team,
having won that place by reach
ing the quarter finals of the Ma
tional Amateur, and partly be-
cause for the last two years he's
been the only amateur to qualify
for the last SO holes of the Ma
tional Open.
Big Week for Patton.
But now that he's here, he's
having a big week. Somebody
persuaded him to. enter the driv-
ing contest the day before the
tournament began. He borrowed
three balls from Paul Hahn, hit
the first one 1913 yards and tossed
the other two back to Hahn.
why hit any more?" Patton
said. give just hit my best and
I might make a fool of myself
in front of all these people if
I continue" He won the con-
test.
Patton's outgoing 80 on Thurs
day still is the best nine of the
tournament. He wound up with
1898. Yesterday, having earned
Byron Nelson as a playing part
ner because of that 70, he had
1888. Patton seemed to be on
his way to equaling par of u
with two holes to go. but finished
SIS for his "a.
The Billy 10 is an abbrevi-
alton for William Joseph, hav-
ing been named for his two
grandfathers. A native of Nor
canton, N. c.. Patton is 5-feet-
II. about 165 pounds and has
close-cropped black hair. He
wears glasses and talks with
what might be called a Carolina
twang.
Patton keeps up a running
chatter with his galleries, which
are the biggest he's ever played
before.
First Birdie as 11-Year-Old.
He was telling some reporters
after his second round that he
had his first golf writeup at the
age of II when he played his
first complete round and in
cluded in it a 2 on a par-3 hole
his first birdie.
THAT fellow wrote that l."
and Billy 10 stopped. "No I'm
not going to tell you what he
wrote, it would make me look
like a fool if I start playing bad.
Tell you what I'll do" he
said. IF something happens I'll
send you all a copy of that clip
ping" But even upon persua-
sion, he wouldn't tell yesterday
what the fellow wrote. It OBJ
viously had something to do with
Patton becoming a national
champion.
Billy 10 is married and has
three children, but his mother
is the only member of his family
here. However, he told friend
yesterday to bring his (Billy's)
wife when he comes back Sun
day.
It was cloudy again today but
somewhat warmer, which was