Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-23

beIOTe ne Jc6Q II up at
in the PGA he was two tourns
of that by shooting 72-67-69-
70-278 and scoring a one
stroke decision over late
charging Bob Goalby.
Goalby supplied the only real
drama Of an otherwise dull
tournament when he shot 81
yesterday over the 7,045-yard,
par $3.50 Aronimink course
to finish at 279.
Jack Nicklaus, the NATIONAL
Open champion who finally
found his game and shot 69-67
in the last two rounds, finished
in a tie for third at 281 with
huge George Bayer, who was a
stroke ahead Of Doug Ford, the
hallway leader who came in
with II for 2S2.
TITS like a dream" Player
said yesterday, suggesting that
he was thinking of the fact
that he's won three of the four
championships he's set as his
life'S goal. He is on record as
saying that in his home town,
johannesburg. South Africa,
people remember golfers by the
tournaments they've won.
3 Down, l to Go
In that case. all that stands
between Player and South
African immortality is the Ma
ticnal Open. He won the British
Open in 1859 and two years
later added the Masters, but
hasn't yet won the Open.
However, more than his de-
sire to add the third major
championship drove Player
through the four rounds of the
PEA. He said Saturday that he
didn't like to be in the lead be-
cause Of the pressure it places
on you. After making that
statement he was afraid people
would think he wilted under
pressure if he didn't hold on.
Il didn't want to be known
as a choker," he said to the
horde Of newsmen who pressed
about him after he left the 18th
green.
If he didn't choke yesterday,
he missed a golden opportun-
ity.
Goalby. who is becoming
one Of the better big tourna-
ment players on the regular
tour. started the round A.
strokes behind Player, who
stood at 208.
GOalby Whites Away
After five holes he was 6
behind. the result Of a DOGGY
5 at the second and Players
30-foot birdie putt at the
fifth. But then Player, who
hadn't 3-putted a green since
the tournament started, did
exactly that at the seventh
and eighth. letting Goalby
white his lead to strokes.
Goalby then took another
stroke away with a birdie at
the ninth.
Goalby cut the margin to
2 shots when he ran home a
30-foot birdie putt on the
18th, which he called one of
the best puts of his career.
Player moved 3 strokes ahead
with a 40-footer at the 18th,
but Goalby wasn't through.
He ran in a 25-foot snake
at the 14th, and Player had
to make a 7-footer to keep
from losing 2 strokes. Gary
then holed a 5-footer at the
18th to save a stroke, but
Goalby moved within l stroke
with a birdie on the par S
10th, holing a 14-inch putt
after blasting beautifully from
a trap.
"a Lot Of LOIlies"
However, he couldn't make
any more Roadway, and Player
picked up the $4,000 first
prize check which, he said,
will buy a lot of lollies for
the children" 1t also moved
him to fifth place in 1862
money winnings, with $41,513.
Player came here determined
to make a good showing. He
played poorly in the National
Open, did nothing in the West
ern Open and failed to make
the 36-hole cut in the British
Open.
He was disguised with him
self for those poor showings. He
was the first of the big name
pros here and practiced dill
gently until he finally admitted
to his wife, Vivian, that he
was hitting the ball better and
figured he might have a chance.
One Of the things that had |
an effect on his hitting the
ball better was the discovery
that he was trying to keep pace |
off the the tee with Arnold |
Palmer, who shot 268 and tied
for 18th here.
Swinging Too Hard
ARNOLD is much stronger
than I am" Player said, land |
in those exhibition matches
we've played together I was
trying to hit with him. I was
swinging too hard and losing
my balance"