BRITISH OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 13

BRITISH OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

AN HISTORIC COURSE CHANCE FOR NEW PLAYERS [Wr itteu by Donald Grant, for the ‘ Evening Star.’] Sandwich, twelve miles from Canterbury in Kent, and about an hour’s journey by train from London, has two claims to fame. One is just the fact that it is Sandwich, ancient and full of history; the other is its golf. The open golf, championship of Britain will be played at Sandwich, beginning on May SANDWICH—ANCIENT AND MODERN. Tho royal and ancient game of golf has a special flavour when it is played in a place like Sandwich or Prestwick or St. Andrews. One cannot help at times remembering the great golfers of the past who holed long putts and cursed tho bunkers there just as great golfers do to-day. The market town of Sandwich lias a thousand years of known history. In 97.3 King Edgar granted the town and harbour to the monastery of Christchurch, Canterbury. Nearly a century later the Domesday Survey showed that Sandwich supplied -10,000 herrings each year to, tho monks. Sandwich became one of the famous Cinque Ports before the time of William the Conqueror, and was one of the chief trading ports between England and the Continent un to the time of Queen Elizabeth. Gradually tho sea receded, however, and the ancient borough inevitably declined in importance until its unique opportunities for golf were discovered about forty years ago. Emerson points out that the law of ;compensation is practically of universal application in life. Sandwich is an illustration. The sea receded and the trade of Sandwich declined. The greatest golf links are to be found along the stretches of coast where the sea has recoded—St. Andrews, Prestwick, Gullane, North Berwick, Dornoch, and many others. In 18S6 tho St. George’s golf 'links were created at Sandwich. Tho town was connected by rail with London. Its second claim to fame was thus established along with its achievement of moderate prosperity. Tho St. I George’s golf course is to-day one of the foremost in Britain, and is included by .Mr Joshua Crane, tho American golf | course architect, among tho twelve best : courses in the world. There is a second I course at Sandwich—namely. Prince’s— Uvliich is also included in that list of twelve. Probably no other town in [ Britain, save St. 1 Andrews, shares with Sandwich tho distinction of possessing [two absolutely front-rank golf courses, i OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY.

The St. George’s course, Sandwich, will this year bo the scene of the British open championship early in May. Sandwich was the first English golf course to bo honoured with a visit from the open championship. Up to 1893 the great event went from one to another of the three famous courses— L’rostwicb. St. Andrews, Mmrhekl. in 1891, at Sandwich, J. 11. Taylor won his first open championship. Hoylakc was added in 1897 to the championship rota of courses, and in 1909 Deal. No other courso- has produced greater champions than those who have won the title at Sandwich. J. H. Taylor in 1894, Harry "Vardon in 1899, Jack While in 1901, Harry Vardon in 1911, Walter Hagen in 1929. The aggregates which won the championship in those years were: In 1894, 326; in 1899, 310, both of these with the old gnttio ball; jin 1901, 29(1; in 1911, 303; in .1922, ' ;ii It FAMOUS INCIDENTS. Two i a incus golfing incidents are associated with championships at Sandwich. In 1911 Arnaud Massy, the big French i professional, tied with Harry Vardon lat 303. lu the play-off, which was fol--1 lowed by a. largo crowd, Vardon held l.ho upper hand all the way, and Massy, at, Iho thirty-fifth hole, with one hole (o go, being then 5 strokes behind Vardon, picked up his bull and congratulated Vardon, who was then over lorty years of age, although ho was destined to will yet another open championship. It was George Duncan who provided the thrill in 1923—probably the most exciting of all Duncan’s pieces of brilliance. Three American professionals were bunched together along with Duncan in the lead during the 1922 championship. At the end of the second round Duncan, equal with Barnes, was 2 strokes behind Hagen; in the third round the Aberdonian took 81.—ho always has one bad round in the four—but Hagen was 79. That put Duncan 1 strokes behind both Barnes and 1 Hagen. In the fourth and final round Barnes had come in with a 73 and llagen with a great 72, the lowest score in the whole event, just when it was needed. That made Hagen the winner, unless .Duncan, who was out on the course, could do a 6S! it seemed wholly improbable, but the crowd was watching Duncan playing his own smooth, quick, inspired golf. Excited, I thrilled, even to silence, everybody was. | Hagen, watching round that last green 1 when Duncan was coming up the fairway, went through an unbelievable time of tension. Would Duncan get his 4, which would give him a 68 and a tic! His second to the green broke badly and got a hazard. Duncan took 5 to that hole and finished in 69. But the thrill was there, and the gallant effort brought Duncan more glory than all his championships. ONE HUNDRED SURVIVORS. About 100 players ireach the final stage, the four rounds of the championship proper. Qualifying rounds—-thirty-six holes—-in several different parts of the country eliminate a large number of candidates. All who tie for the hundredth place arc admitted to the play in the final four rounds at Sandwich. These 100 players play one round on May 7 and one on May S. At that stage all who arc fifteen strokes or more behind the leader drop out. The remaining gladiators complete the four rounds, playing the third and fourth rounds on the 9th. YOUTH AND MATUIIITY.

Special interest will be aroused by the open championship this year lor several reasons. There are younger players who are definitely challenging the supremacy of the more mature professionals. T. H. Cotton, Jack Smith, It. I'i. J3allautine, Tiert Hudson, Stewart Burns are aggressive members of the younger school- Of the more established players, C. A. Whitcombc was the outstanding performer in 1027, although his claim to supremacy may be said to be shared by George Duncan, who won two open championships (in Ireland and in France) during the year. Archie Compston won the professional (match play) championship, with “effortless superiority” towards the end of 1927, and_ he will probably bo aiming at asserting still further that superiority. F. It. Whitcombc, A. Havers, 1,. Holland, H. C. Jolly, P*. Robson, A. Boomer, G. Gadd, are other professionals who may bo expected to do well in the championship. Last of all, among British entrants, 1 would mention And Mitchell, who is still the greatest golfer of them all. Mitchell has not yet won the open championship. Year by year be has shown himself to be the first performer among his peers, although he has disappointed his supporters in the championships Last year an operation intervened »o keep him out of big golf throughdr.l the season For several months flitchell has boon playing again, and playing as well as ever, (■lobby Jones had to wait seven years before winning an open title. If Mitchell could only win one open chain-

pionsliip fie would probably win several. Me will bo one of the first favourites in May when llio battlo is joined at Sandwich. AND AMERICA;- 1 The intematinn.il element will also be provided at Sandwich by the presence of American professionals, of whom a number are always' ready to visit the British open in the hope of achieving prestige and reward by doing well or by winning. It is rumoured that MacDonald Smith, fresh trom groat conquests in America, will be at Sandwich, and that Tommy Armour and Bobby Cruickshank also will be there. That would prove very attractive to thousands of British goiters, and, to ns in New Zealand, attractive, in that we can read about their exploits. 1 read that Harry Cooper, the London-American golf star, may also play at Sandwich. Wo are interested also in Rufus Stewart, open champion of Australia, who landed in Plymouth on Good Friday, and who will have had a full month'of practice on English courses by the time the championship commences. Six years ago Sandwich saw an American win, while a Scotsman achieved glory by the greatest final round in the annals of the game, bast year an American won, with British players following up. a few strokes behind.' What will Sandwich J92S reveal ?