Minneapolis spokesman., 1963-08-08
TEE
TO
GREEN
BY JIMMIE BOWMAN
Greetings Dubs and Hopefuls

Greetings DubS and HOpefuls!
Your leg weary correspondent
has just dropped his foot joys"
in the corner and plopped into the
nearest upright to try and recon-
struct an amazing week Of golf in
st. Paul.
BY now you can guess that
have been covering the Jaycees St
Paul Open. I was out there from
Wednesday until Sunday. I can't
find words enough to describe the
Flip wedges, booming drives,
curling puts, brides, eagles, or
what have you that go to make
up one of the st. Paul Jay Gees
most successful tournaments yet.
The weather was perfect each day
and the course beautiful.
Things got so good there for a
while that I didn't know which
group to follow. 1 would start out
with one and hear a roar from
the crowd across the fairway and
before could get over there, I'd
hear a big sigh from around the
green which meant that a crucial
putt was missed! Very electrifying
and entertaining.
On Wednesday I walked with
three Of our Negro pros who are
now on the circuit. One, Charley
Sifford has been on for a number
Of years, but the other two would
hike you to meet.
Pete Brown is a tall good look
ing Californian who shot very well
and placed in the money. Here's
a young man who has a very bril-
liant future on the pro circuit. He
is 26 years old, very serious about
the game, reserved, courteous and
humps his woods and irons a
country mile" off the tee. Typical
shot for him was the par five hole
No. 3 at Keller. A driver and a
three iron to reach the green in
two. Needless to say he birdied the
hole. Pete is sponsored by a veal
thy doctor on the west coast.
look for him to really make his
mark in any of the remaining
events he will be in.
The other newcomer cousin
was a Gordon Chais from Balti.
more, Maryland. In my interview
I found him to be the type Of per
son that you like to have in the
big game and one of our repre-.
sentadves. A beautiful iron player
and were 1t not for a 78 in his
first round on Thursday, I'm sure
he would have made the cutoff or
Friday. He had a fine 10 in his
second round. Chavis is sponsored
by McGregor Company and you
may rest assured that his future
Is assured with such an outfit
behind him.
Then there Is the old pre-
Charley Hoss" Sifford who is also
from California and has been play.
ing some terrific golf for these ter
years. I spent quite a bit Of time
walking with "Hoss" and was
amazed at his finesse and know
how around the greens. Charley
keeps that big cigar in his mouth
at all times, and could swear thai
I heard him talking to the stogit
when a shot didn't go like HI
wanted it to! His total of 275 fol
72 holes gave him some long greer
of 1,450 clans (dollars). Not bac
for a weeks work. Also his pock
cts were chug with a cool $2,55(
from the Western Open the weel
before. Sifford Is an old veteran
on the tourney trail and has beer
our only representative since Ted
dy Rhodes had to leave due to IL
health. Charley deserves every wiz
he can get. I, for one, was quite
proud of his fine play. He has hac
many hardships and racial barrier:
to overcome. After being one of hi!
close fans for about eight years
I'll lay my money that he can beat
any one Of the top pros on any
given day.
Now, with Pete Brown and Cor.
don Chavis coming into the swing
scene, am quite confident that
we will see their names regularly
in the money column. That is II
they continue to listen to the SEN
ior member of the trio, Pro Sifford
The tournament was won by an
Iowan, Jack Rule who upset every
body with a new course record of
81. Yes, I said 81! Never before
has Keller been trimmed so close,
OF course this broke everybody's
back for one day and despite an
eight stroke lead, Jack had to
shoot, a 65 next day to. 'ice the
cake. Hats are off because on his
final day he was one over par
despite severe pains from a kidney
stone. A real champion.
Don't forget to check your fu-
ture box scores and look for
Charley Sifford, Gordon Chavis
and Pete Brown. When the Keller
Open comes off next year, come
out and meet these fellows. was
quite proud to meet them.