Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-17
NATIONAL OPEN
CONTINUED From Page G.

Win ROUNDS OF Tl-IO-1O-T0
the first two including ridiculous
lsevens. Middleton won with the
second lowest winning score in
open history. His 28l matched
the scores of Boros at Dallas in
so and Ralph Guldahl at Detroit
in 1887. and was topped only by
Hogan's record 276 at Los
Angeles in 1913.
Middleton won $4,000 on the
spot and from this moment on
will start cashing in on the No.
title in the world of golf. Behind
Hogan, loser to Jack Fleck in a
playoff last year, and Boros there
was a drop to 285 for the next
three. Knoll, Thomson. and an
other ex-champion, Ed Furgol.
Tough Finish for Cary
Middleton. who even more
than Ken Ventura permitted the
Masters championship to slip
away in April, almost lost the
Open because of his seemingly
uncomfortable nerves. When he
put together back-to-back brides
on the 18th and 14th with puts
of IL and Is feet. he was in con-
ltrol. Despite the cheers from
the galleries trailing Hogan and
Boros, Middleton could put the
championship out of reach with
a par finish.
But the three tough holes
doomed ahead, and they had
bothered him all week. IN fact
he wound UP playing those three
in eight over par for the tourna-
lment.
Cary pushed his drive in the
rough on the 10th and his long
iron shot caught a sand trap, a
hazard that holds mental OBJ
stacles for him. But he played
Ia nice out, 8 feet from the cup,
and then missed the putt.
| He was standing over the
shots longer, celebrating, feck-
ing imaginary dirt from his put
ter. wiping his forehead, picking
up and dropping cigarettes. The
18th, a par five before this tour
nament, was ahead. but from
the tee he gave it the big hit.
80 yards past Thomson, his
playing partner who long ago
had dropped out of contention
| Freezes Over Shot
His long Iron second was from
a downhill lie, and he seemed
to freeze over the shot. Crouch
ing a few yards from where he
played the shot, he took so long
you felt like screaming. Imagine
how he felt.
The result was a miserable
shot, a wide push that was SO
bad he let loose the club and
turned his back to the ball as it
headed for trees to the right of
the green.
But he had a clear chip shot
hit it 8 feet past. and after a
long study hit the putt on the
low side of the hole. Now he was
in real trouble. Another DOGGY
Middlecoff's drive on the 18th
was a hook in the deep rough
and now this masterful player
had lost all control. He was
blowing it, and badly. His Sec
ond was far short of the green
lstill in the rough.
But Middlecoff won the title
on the next shot. He played a
magnificent chip shot 2 feet
from the hole. and made the
Iputt for his par four.
\ Hogan was one shot back after
three rounds, along with Kroll
and Wesley Ellis, a 24-year-old
Texan. now a pro in New Jersey
who would have been the most
unknown Open champion of all
time, Sam Parks and Fleck in
cluded. Ellis quickly eliminated
himself with a wild tee shot Out
of bounds on the first hole of the
Afternoon round. He finally shot
rs.
Hogan Gets Urge
Hogan was playing ordinary
golf for him, two over after seven
holes and not liking it. when
with dramatic suddenness one
terrific shot gave him the urge
He hit a five-iron second shot
on the eighth that glanced of
the pin and stopped on the lip
of the cup.
He followed with an 18-footer
for a birdie three on the ninth
for an outgoing 35, and after
four pars on the back nine
nailed birdie on the 14th. The
cheer for that one resounded
Through the Middleton gallery
IN the neighboring 18th hole.
i Hogan pared is in orthodox
fashion and then missed a birdie
putt of II feet on the 10th. He
missed the green by a few feet
to the left on the 18th, and hi
la good chip shot 2ls feet past
Nothing bothered me but
myself" Hogan said later.
He appeared to lose his con-
centration for a moment ano
addressed the ball a trifle longer
than usual. The putt was to
the right lip Of the hole and II
, stayed there.
Like Hogan, Boros had his bis
: lift on the front line. He wal
Icruising alond at even pa Ther