TOMMY ARMOUR

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 23, 27 July 1927, Page 18

TOMMY ARMOUR

AMATEUR AND PRO

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SAN FBaNCISCO, 30th June.

Tommy Armour, successor to Bobby Jones as open golf champion of the United States, was born in Edinburgh 31 years ago. Like most of the boys of Scotland, he began to play golf when he was big enough to swing a club. Armour served four years in machine-gun and tank corps in the Great War. His ■wounds partly restrict the movements of his left arm.

In 1919, playing as an amateur, Armour was runner-up in the Scottish tournament and the Irish open championship, and in 1920 ho won the French amateur title. In that year he tied for the Canadian open, losing in 'the play-off,: and reached the third round of the United States amateiir championship. Also, in 1920 he played for the British amateur team in matches "with Americans, in what was a forerunner to the present Walker Cup series. In 1926 he played for the United States in the first Eyder Cup matches, wMeh makes him the only man who has played for both America and Great Britain in international golf team matches. Armour came to the United States in 1922, and for a time was golf secretary to the Westcheater Biltmore, near New York. He played in amateur events, but did not distinguish himself.

Last year he became professional at the Congressional Club at "Washington. His first success cani& in 1925-26, when he won the Florida "West Coast open, and, teaming with Al. Watrous, won the professional team match in Ploridn. This year, next to his friend, Bobby Cruicksnank, he captured the Long Beach and El Paso tournaments. Ho and Cruickshank beat Walter Hagen and Hutchison in a play-off, after tying with them in a 36-holo final.