Evening star., 1954-09-25
Bogart Surprise
OF Celebrities
After 7 Rounds
D. c. Stur 2 Behind
littler and FureoI
With TotuI of 1877
By MerreII WhittIesey

Nineteen of the top 20 money.
winning pros of 1854. most Of
the big names of golf, have
reached the halfway mark of the
$4,000 Celebrities tournament
at the Congressional Country
Club and, going into today's
third round a 35-year-old Dis
trict amateur is a definite threat,
to say the least.
Ralph Bogart, only two strokes
back of the co-leaders after SO
holes. is playing the best golf
of his life in a big-time tourna-
ment. The Chevy Chase Club
amateur has 67-70 after two
rounds and he moved into fast
company today by being paired
with Marty Furgol. the CO.
leader, and Ed Oliver. While he
may lack the shots of the tour
ing pros, Ralph gets break to-
day because the pins will not
be placed in tricky spots, where
experience and countless rounds
under pressure are most i'm
portant.
Bogart is five under par after
two rounds. He followed his first-
round CT with a 10 yesterday
that included birdie puts of 4,
6, 10 and Is feet. He went over
par three times, twice by three
putting.
He Knows the Course.
Bogart knows the course better
than any of the leaders. He has
his best start in a big tourna-
ment, is in a good frame of mind,
and welcomes the company Of
Furgol and Oliver. While he
doesn't figure to last in this COM
pany, he didn't figure to be there
after SO holes either. So any,
thing can happen.
With Bogart the sentimental
favorite, the logical choice at this
point is Gene Littler. VIII. Is hav-
ing the greatest first season Of
any former amateur in his first
year as a pro. Littler has 69-66
for 1876. seven under par. and is
tied with Furgol at 67-68.
The. only player in between
Littler. Furgol and Bogart Is
Bo Winninger. who just pre-
ceded Littler out of the anna
teur ranks, and is 70-66, 1856.
Wininger was one of two players
who were five under par after
six holes yesterday. The other
was the home club champion, Col.
Rennie Kelly. who had two eagles
to Wininger's one and finished
with 70.
Late Starters Today.
Marty Furgol, Bogart and
Oliver are late starters today,
teeing off at 1888, with Littler,
Wininger and Bus Holscher be-
hind them as the last players in
the championship division.
Starting at 1872 pm, Ed
Furgol, the National Open cham
pion. and six former open
titlists-Gene Sarazen, Freddie
Mcleod. Chick Evans, Billy
Burke, Johnny Farrell and Tony
Manero-will play 18 holes for the
President Eisenhower Trophy.
The Celebrities division will
follow, with Gary Cooper. Billy
Joe Patton. Gov. Dan Thornton
of Colorado, Bob Matthias and
leaders of the military and Con-
gress included.
On the first round Thursday
five players had 81 and one 6s
and yesterday Littler and Win
niger pounded out 66s, Littler
with four brides in the last five
holes. Bob Rosburg and Walter
Burkemo added CTS to first
round TBS and Marty Furgol was
the lone player at 68.
The surprising factor of the
second round was the failure of
the real big names to close the
gap. In fact, most of them
faded out of the running for the
$500 top prize and will be at
tempting to salvage one of the
lesser prizes.
1t was noted yesterday that
the champion figured to come
from the SO shooters of the first
round, seven players who were
two shots off the pace but had
the backgrounds to produce the
winner of the second-richest
tournament of the season.
Littler the Exception.
They were Jerry Barber, Lloyd
Mangrum, Doug Ford, Cary
Jack Burke. Dutch
Harrison and Littler. But six of
the seven added unimpressive
TBS, with Littler the only ex-
(See CELEBRITIES. Page B-2.)