Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-09
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV BY FRANCIS sTANN
Hogan Was FORGOTTEN Man.

TOO BAD ABOUT YOUNG Ken Ventura in the Masters.
Golf could use bs-name amateur these days, fellow who
had beaten the pros in big It's % years
Johnny Goodman the National Open, last Of the major
tournaments to escape the mercenarieS
And why is this a reasonable suppositon? Having
amateur on top once in While would be stimulus, WHY
Cox saying at Congressional Country Club waiting for
the fateful teecaSt from Augusta 1T would inspire millions
OF amateurs good players and buffers BOTH
The Congressional pro- who in his heyday had finished in
the wake of amateur named Bobby Jones than
OCCASION considering the general public People
look the amateur underdog he said which he
Is, OF when competing with pros I've
Ventura but I'd like to him win it."
Unfortunately there apparently two Ken Venturis.
There the who hooked together rounds of 66 and SO
the first two days OF the Masters and the who lost II
strokes to in the last So holes The Californian mped
home yesterday like guy playing in club championship
flight.
STILL, ALL OF THE PRESSURE was on the kid from
San Francisco He had oudstanced most of the ncud
ing Hogan and Snead but the final day Cary dd!ecof
breathing his neck and this be comfortable
feeling Middleton had already National Open and a
Masters among flock of other tournaments, and Ventura
had reason TO be wary of him.
1t the eventual winner, Jackie Burke, ir who rode
the gravy train Nobody figured him, starting strokes
back of Ventura Burke didn't figure himself either for
first prize Not until the seth hole there any
strain the Texan
To Burke's everlasting credit however, he had it when
the chips finally when die dog the
meat He needed par the 72d and shalowy
trapped his second shot Normally it would have been
routine almost easy shot pro The pressure Burke
made 1t hard but his gentle wedge almost perfect and he
got the and the title The ne would have
anyway Which why the pros don't mind
much when and if amateur
STILL there may be certain jealousy, perhaps pride,
which sets the modern apart from the who
used to chase Jones. Maybe imagination but there
seemed be undertone of relief in Chick Harberts TV
when his feowpro Burke picked the marbles
INA TELECAsT INTERVIEW the incompatible Jones
offered solace to the crestfaen Ventura when he said
believe the Augusta National is the hardest in the
Nation which protect lead" The kid smiled wanly
No doubt he intended to play it SAFE nursing his 4sroke
lead Mddecof but big fat 30 is hardly what Ventura
had in mind His scoring game was shot and if Mddecof
himself had bogeyed No. II the young might not
have finished second.
1T like looking your shoulder, Ventura told
Jones referring Middlecof, "and running into door
The incredible exposing eye of televson first sug-
geed that Ventura might not become the first amateur TO
win the Masters with closeup Of the Californian putting
No Is His putt for plainly timid curling tiredy
short and away from the cup Same thing No H. where
he bogeyed again
Venturs last desperate chance to tie drop 25-
footer for birdie the final hole There proper
he lined up Even the TV silent and the
only heard the wind coughing resessy into the
microphone But the spoke eoquenty followed
putt that wasn't close and the crowds sustained silence
oohs aahsD eloquent 1t had become
Just another tournament won by just another good pro
WELL. NOT QUITE just another tournament When was
the time Hogan completely forgotten at The
hallway in this Masters? From opening So hi
had baoOned to 49, proving can happen TO anyone anc
that all tor Ben.
Whether finishing far back in the pack will relate tC
Hogans playing reiranng from playing in the U Oper
this year remains to be seen After Open payof
to Jack Flick Francisco he said positively
his last OF late he has muttered maybeS.
The pros divided in opinion to whether they thn
Hogan will try to win his fifth Open Some insist that Bei
needs the money to recoup business venture and tina
pride also factor that will dictate his turning up
Rochester. As Cox cautiously put it, The game is in hi
blood I don't know about Ben's physical condition, but
oppI hp vii n
golfer these days"
There are others who think that Hogan too smart
enter future Opens that he has too much TO lose the
of prestige to be among the Four Opens is gor
enough for any man. they insist and Ben will rest hi
laurels.
do and don't For every Gene Tunney there
leagt Jop IouiS