Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-04
By MERRELL WHITTLEsEY

An amateur led the field and
four of the five qualifiers are
going to the National Open for
the first time. That's what hap
pened at Columbia yesterday in
the regions qualifying round for
the championship at Inverness
June 1915. and nobody could
recall such q strange turn OF
events.
It's one Of those things that
nobody bothers to keep records
on. but when Perky Cullinane
won the medal with q 74-70-
LA he became the first amateur
in memory to lead the Open
trials in this section.
He was one Of i've amateurs
to top their sections in the trials
held throughout the country
yesterday. Others were DR..
Frank Taylor in California,
Claude Wright in Denver, Rob-
ert Brue In Jacksonville and Bob
Astelford in Kansas City. That
seems to be a rather high ratio
Old Guard Falls Hard
When the Middle Atlantic's
"old guard" Of national cham
pionships fell. it fell hard. Char
ley Bassler. Walter Romans, Jack
Isaacs. John O'Donnell, etc., all
are staying home. Bassler's
morning 70 probably was the
worst round Of golf he's played
since turning pro. Isaacs quit
after knocking a ball out OF
bounds on the fifth hole Of the
second round.
Thumbnails on the qualifiers:
Cullinane. 22-year-old Be-
thesda &C champion, had an
Army physical postponed so he
could compete. He was playing
his favorite golf course, and he
played it well. His afternoon 70
was the only par round of The
day. Perky had only three brides
but two Of them were on the
second hole. and he picked up a
handful Of shots on the field
right there. Cullinane captained
the Georgetown golf team this
season. He will be graduated
next Monday. 1t will be his first
Open.
Clare Emery, 32-year -old
Washington G&CC pro who had
72-74-146. will be going for
the first time. Emery lost a
place in the National PGA
championship last week when
he was beaten in a playof
Emery is playing his best goli
since he's been here. a matter
Of six or seven years. and every
body is roofing for him. T
i DOser Goes Again
Clarence Doser. the only IA
vorite. made 1t with a 74-72-
146. The Woodmont pro, AZ,
made the best comeback of the
day. He left the 28th green
eight over par for the day and
apparently out of it. But he
birdied ll-l2-l7, and on IA and
is scrambled to sensational pars
after second shots flew wildly
of the wet grass. Doser is the
only qualifler who's been to an
open. and he's been many times
Jack Lowe, 30-year-old assist
ant at Bonnie View in Baltimore
had a pair of 73s for l46 and
in the 80 holes had 10 one-putt
green's. Jack, a native Balti-
morean. has been winning oil
coming close In the one-day
tournaments. but this is his best
showing over a longer distance
Sergt. Dick Lehms, 30-year-o
Army career man from Cuero
Tex, now at Fort Meade. wor
IA playof for the fifth place after
he had 76-7l-l47. The other,
were Ralph Morrow Of Andrew,
: ALB. 76-7l-l47, and Ed Fin.
; messy Of Baltimore, 74-73-l47
Morrow three-putted the flrsI
hole to lose after Finnessy made
a 25-footer TO stay In. Lehm,
: then pared the second to wiz
as Finnessy took FIVE. Lehms 1,
a former 7th Army and 5th Corp,
golf champion In Europe.
Drubs Amateur Rivals
I. Cullinane's feat OF beating the
pros undoubtedly gave him tire.
mendous satisfaction, but hardly
much more than the sounc
thrashing he handed the ANA.
tours who have been more publ
cized this season. Deane Beman
who has been to the past two
{. Opens, said he played miserably
and posted a 1853. Jay Randolph
and John Grub were way back
and Ralph Bogart must hav,