Evening star., 1961-02-14
. WIN, LOSE OR
. HNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
Lew Worshom and Sam sneod

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Feb. 14-It's been nearly
II years since Lew Worsham Sam Snead Of
the most bitterly contested National Opens history For
Lew it remains sweet memory; for SAM merely another
Open he failed to win.
"Frends?" Lew said when questioned "sure, we're
friends In fact I'm going 10 meet Sam now" He had
shotgun in his hand. Both sre avid quail hunters.
wOrsham, vireinia-bred. Washington-rased is pro at
the swank Coral Ridge Country Club here Just the road
snead operates in similar capacity at the Boca Ration
Country Club. NNN##AW ##F# #4E#
Lew, now 4s years old hasn't made the winter tour
since 1854 or since he accepted the job at oral Ridge He's
here in the winter and at Oakmont outside Of Pittsburgh
IN the summer Snead g. picks his tournament endeavos
Lew was loading up his jeep hunting wagon for iaunt
into the Lake Okeechobee and Orlando hunting regions
few miles away snead was doing the same Neither packed
any golf clubs
THE 1o47 OPEN at the ST. Louis Country Club was one
Of Lew Worshams two biggest triumphs The other was
winning what Promoter George May called the "Word
Championship at Tam o. shanter outside Of Chicago IN
1858 with 27S
Prestigewise, there's nothing like winning the Open"
Lew said, "but earned more money out Of the World
think the Open prize was only $1,000 at the time Alto
geter crossed 5000 for the Open from exhibitions that
followed, Endorsements and that sort of thing
The World purse was $25 600 Then played 40 exhbi-
ons ct 81 900 apiece, plus Endorsements That was
lot OF money for guy like me- who'd never netted more
Neither victory has been forgotten by the public Both
were repete with high drama In AT it was the tape
measure Open. In the World Lew made the wedge the
most famous club in the land with one blow
Lew was replaying by request his Open victory Sam
and finished in tie at 1922 and played it off," he said
ON the last hole we were both the green about the
same distance from the cup"
s%
THAT'S WHEN THE RHUBARB happened?" Lew was
"H wasn't any rhubarb" he grinned "snead made his
approach putt and was walking up to putt again That's
when said, Down, boyl Let's measure
i didn't blame Sam. He didn't blame me- Getting to
putt out first is very important You sink first and the
other guys putt suddenly becomes twice long An Off
cia measured and sure enough Snead away. He was
3Oh inches from the cup and was 20h inches away"
so Sam got to putt first, after all" the other said
yeah but during the time took TO measure Of Sans
rhythm was broken or something Anyway his putt didn't
drop and mine did for par that won." Lew had SO.
In the 53 World Lew came up to the I'D hole needing
birdie to tie Chandler Harper That's when he hit wedge
for his second shot and hoed 1t for an eagle
CHANDLER WAS PLAYING in the threesome Just
ahead of Lew remembered II was In the last three
some Of the final round Standing the 18th tee
he'd birdied by the shout Of the gallery"
To this day the precise distance of Worsham's
tonay televised wedge shot is disputed BELL Howell
the camera people, used apparatus that indicated it
was 1o4 yards Lew said I thought it closer 90
yards"
did you ever consider using another club?" he was
asked.
mo. You see May ran the A-American and the World
tournaments successfully this my eighth shot at
that green IN two weeks Of competition Six Of the previous
seven times I'd used the wedge The hole listed at 0
yards, but doubt II 1t that long That would have
meant that If I'd hit 290-yard drive I'd be hitting
wedge 140 yards. You can't hit wedge that far"
The ball bit into the green and hoped into the cup
Harper watched with disbelief and dismay
#sSE v
SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT was lucky" Lew said
and guess was But the year was lead
ing the same tournament by four strokes going into the
final nine put balls out Of bounds on the 18th and 18th
holes when an Oh cost two strokes distance and fin
]. See WIN, LOSE OR DRAW Page AIS
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