Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
YoungGo|fStars
Among Missing
In PGA Tourney

BOSTON, July IA CP).-The
young golfers whose names have
been in the headlines almost
every week since January. and
some of the Older ones who have
been up there for years, won t
be present when the 38th PEA
championship starts next Fri
day.
It's a case Of lnellglblllty on
one SIDE and ailments or sheer
dislike of the long grind on the
other.
The players aren't complain
: ing, but the cash customers
may wonder what became Of the
guys they've been reading
about when they visit the Blue
Hill Country Club and see only
Sam Snead, Jimmy Demaret,
Doug Ford and a bunch of guys
who haven't made the grade on
the tough tournament trail. 1t
may eventually come to a point
where sponsors Will be extremely
reluctant to put up the more
than $4,000 needed to hold the
tournament.
Only Tourney Winners
There have been % major
tournaments completed since
the 1856 pro tour started IN
January. The winners of nine
are IN the PGA field. The rest
either haven't served the five
year probationary period or just
didn't enter.
In making the pairings for a
128-man field, PGA officials
hopefully left two spots open at
strategic starting times with the
thought that Cary Middlecoff.
National Open champion, and
Julius BoroS. Tam O'Shanter
world champion. might fill
them.
But Middlecoff, after winning
the Open. said he'd skip the
PGA on the advice Of his doctor
He's suffering from tendonitis
in his hip and fears too much
golf would make the ailment
chronic. Although one-the-Site
Qualifying has been eliminated
this year, the PEA still calls for
seven rounds Of match play in
five days. July 20-24-the last
two at SO holes. Middlecof was
weary runnerup last year
Boros. who left for a quick
trip to Germany right after the
Open. is busy with his lucrative
exhibition chores. So the vacant
spots went to Bob ToSki and All
Besselink.
Hogan Again Missing
Also missing are Ben Hogan,
who hasn't undertaken the PGA
grind for several years; Jackie
Burke, Masters champion and a
semltinalist last year; Lloyd
Mangrum and Peter Thomson.
three-time British Open cham
pion who likely would have re-
celved an urgent invitation to
play if he had returned from
Britain in time.
There 5 still an impressive list
topped by Snead, a three time
PGA champion and still one of
COLTS biggest drawing cards.
Ford, the defending champion,
Ed Furgol and Jack Flick. the
1854 and 1855 National Open
champions; Demaret, a three
time Masters winner, and ageless
Gene Sarazen, who lists three
PGA championships among his
many titles.
Snead and Demaret are among
this years tournament winners
So are Ted Knoll, twice; Ed Oil
yer, the home club pro: Shelley
Mayfield, Dick Mayer, Nike Fet-
chick and Don Fairfield. Of
these, Fairfield. an unknown
until he reached the quarter
finals OF this tournament last
wear? is the only one under 30
years old.
In contrast, the ineligibles in
clude Gene Llttler and Mike
Souchak. each winner OF three
tournaments this year. Gardner
Dickinson, Dow FinSterWald. Don
January. Billy Maxwell, Arnold
Palmer. 30 Wininger and. Of
course, Doug Sanders. the anna
teur who beat all the pros in
last weeks Canadian Open.