Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-02-24

Masters Becomes
More SeIective
BY MORRIS SIEGEL

THE MASTERS GOLF tournament already tougher
to crack than afterhours club in strange city
become seective this year. No longer will it be
possible Tor former American and British Open champs
United States and British amateur winners and PGA
champions to make the field simply because they
won one of the big prizes.
Only those who have the major tournaments
within the last 10 years automatically qualify for the
putocratc golf show held annually in April at Augusta
Ga. Naturally the Masters wouldn't bother its pre-
vous winners They're in for e which it should be-
The reason for eliminating the players the Masters
suddenly labels hasbeens is because the field has become
too crowded down there Why, it bad last year.
for example, when ITO teed off in the first round they
actually had to play threesomes for the first time Some
thing it is hoped may be required again." accord
ing to the autocrac Cliff Roberts, self-apponted nabob
of the tournament.
NOW THE MASTERS is great golf show but I'm
afraid the boys, smitten with financial success,
beginning to take themselves too seriously The Masters
rghtfuy came to be regarded as COLTS blue-ribbon
showpece in which all the greats-today's and yeser-
dayS-gathered much in the atmosphere Of alumni
week at college.
1t was a combination All-star Game and Old Timers
Day all wrapped into lovely package until they cut
away a hunk of charm with the recent restrictive rule
change
1t doesn't mean the former champions those out
side the l0year limit can't visit Augusta They Just can't
play anymore. Among those sugged by the new adict
former Open tsts Lew Worsham Lawson Little and
Julius Boros former Amateur eholders Bud Ward and
Dick Chapman, and onetime PGA kings Jim Terrier and
Chandler Harper
THE WORSHAMS LTTTLES, ETC., won't be missed at
the box office. They'll have the usual stampede down
there But for years the true golf addict has to
Augusta to all the top players not just the current
crop don't know of golf course in the world, except
the snooty Masters where the Worshams LeS Boroses
and others would be considered excess baggage.
If a reduction in the field is necessary, there
eral places where the Journeys founding fathers could
haHyo ryiIan vrn-
enjoyed for years. Under current rules the first "a
players in the previous Masters automatically qualify for
the tournament the following year. just the is low
finiShers the National Open also become automatic
Masters contestants
Why not reduce the Masters field of automatcs from
the first "a lows to the first Dozen and the Open egbeS
for Augusta from 16 eight? This would enable all the
former Open Amateur and PEA champs who want to
play in the Masters to compete and at the same time
make finishing low in the Masters and Open an even
bigger prize than it now is. .
IN ELIMINATING THE old guard-those who haven't
won the big pot 10 yearS-the Masters actually is
lang its own principles Masters tournament partici
pants are experienced players respect the highest
traditions of the game the official 1868 Masters publ
cation states "They hold have held all Of COLTS major
titles and chiefly responsible for the Of the
tournament"
The restrictive rule imposed certainly shows fine
sense Of appreciation for those the Masters itself halls
as being chiefly responsible for the Of the tourna
ment"
Two exceptions were made Columbia Country Clubs
8-year-od Fred Mcleod winner of the 1908 National
Open 79year-old Jock Hutchinson, 1921 British Open
and 1929 PGA winner have been invited back to lead off
the field on opening day, usual.
But the other champs who made the mistake OF
winning the big titles too early are out says Cliff Rob-
erts Wonder how many tournaments the dictatorial
Roberts has won in the last 10 years?