AMERICAN WINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 125, 30 May 1938, Page 8

AMERICAN WINS.

BRITISH AMATEUR GOLF. SIX AND FOUR VICTORY. HISTORY IS REPEATED. The American competitor, C. E. Yates, won the British amateur golf championship from R. C. Ewing (Ireland) by 6 and 4 in the 36-hole final. Hietory hae been repeated in that this is the fourth time that a member of the American Walker Cup team has won the event when his eide hae visited Great Britain. The Walker Cup k played every two years, and the venue alternates between the two countries. Previous members of the U.S.A. team who were successful were J. Sweetser, 1920, R. T. (Bobby) Jones, 1930, and Lawson Little, 1934. Yates wa<3 the only one of the American team included in the last eight in this year's championship, and Ms victory is full of merit. He defeated in the final etages Cyril Tolley (England), twice a winner of the title, and Hector Thomson (Scotland), who was the winner two years ago when he defeated the Australian, J. Ferrier.

Yates has put back on the golfing map the town of Atlanta, whence came Bobby Jones, the wonder golfer of a decade ago. Jones was the peer of amateurs and professionals in both America and England until his retirement from competitive play in 1930. In that year Jones won the American and Britieh amateur championships, and the British Open, a feat which is not likely to be repeated.

The oldest of the American Walker Cup team this year was Johnny Goodman at 28 and Yates is in his early twenties. Yates ie a former winner of the American inter-collejre championship. Last year he was a finalist in the Southern championship. He played for U.S.A. against Great Britain in 193G and defeated J. M. Dykes, the Scottish international, 8 and 7.

Ewing lias been in the forefront of Irish players since 1930 and was a semifinalist in the Irish championship in 1931-4-5. In 1936 he won a place in the British Walker Cup team which visited America and was beaten by J. D. Fischer, 8 and 7. In that year, too, Ewing reached the semi-final of the British championship, being beaten by Thomson, the eventual winner, 4 and 3.

Great Britain has not yet beaten America in the nine contests that have taken place for the cup. The next will be played at St. Andrews on June 3 and 4. The British team is as follows: — J. B. Beck, captain, who ie likely to take part in the foursomes only, J. J. Pennick (English champion), L. G. Crawley, H. G. Bentley, C. Stowe (a clerk in a colliery near Wolverhampton). Hector Thomson, G. B. Petere, A. T. Kyle, J. Bruen, a youth of 18, who played sensationally in the trials last month, and R. C. Ewing.