THE FIRST TEN

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 28 April 1934, Page 8

THE FIRST TEN

WORLD’S BEST GOLFERS GENE SARAZEN’S SELECTION NONE' BRITISH: NO AMATEURS Gene Sarazen, the famous United States professional, recently ranked the ten best golfers in the world to-day in the following order:— (I) 'Densmore ,Shute, (2) Craig, Wood, (3) Kirkwood, (4) Paul Runyan, (5) Leo. IDiegel, (G) Macdonald Smith, (17) Walter Hagen, (S) Guldhal, (9) Goggin, (10) Macfarlanc. Sarazen’s selection was no compliment to (British players, and it has been promptly challenged 'by a writer in the London ‘‘Observer.” iSarazen’s ranking list of the world’s ten best golfers must not be allowed- to. go unchallenged (he writes). Tt is a strange list in more than one respect, but the strangest thing about it is the omission of the name of any British player. -All ten are ‘Americans; they are, apparently, the salt of the earth. If, because of the omission, it is to be inferred that no golfer on this side is good enough to be included, then I take leave emphatically to disagree with Sarazen.

[Gan he have forgotten that Britain 'beat America in the Ryder. Cup match, and that the man he places No. 1 in the ■list —'Densmore Shute —must be held largely responsible for the defeat? True, Sliute subsequently won the Open Championship at ! St. Andrews, but only after one of the maddest scrambles on record. I am not saying that he is not worthy of a place in the list, but to put him at the top is appraising his skill much too highly. This is a position which is 'best filled by Sarazen himself. Leaving aside Jones, who no longer comes into the reckoning, the greatest player in the competitive field is iSarazen. In the championships to be played during the next ten years, either in this country' or in America, he will exercise a big influence, and I shall be surprised if he does not win a fair share of them. If anyone is anxious to wager a new' hat on IShute finishing in front of iSarazen in the championship at St. George’s, I am his man. In addition to the. absence of any British player in the list, there is the omission of the name of J. Goodman, the lone amateur, who beat all the famous professionals in last year’s U.S. Open Championship. IS IT JEALOUSY? Does Sarazen regard this as some-thing-in the nature of a fluke'?! If he does, then [Goodman’s defeat of Jones in the first round of the amateur championship at Pebble Beach comes under the same head. “‘A clear case of jealousy',” most-people wiil say. iSarazen was always jealous of the usurpation by amateurs of the supposed rights and privileges of the professional class, even when Jones was demonstrating that the paid players had no monopoly of skill. That Goodman’s triumph was in no sense fortuitous was shown recently in a 72 holes challenge match, against Shute, which the latter won only on the last green. 'We shall be in a better position to judge of (Goodman’s .proper position in the world of golf when he appears at iSt. Andrews in GVlay r as a member of, the American Walker (Cup team, and in the subsequent championships. As the national champion he will naturally be given the honour of leading the U.S. team of amateurs, and it will he a matter of considerable interest to know who will 'be his British opponent. I do not suppose that there will be a noticeable competition for the job. In any case, I think it is clearly one for Tolley to tackle; he is me one British player for the all-important occasion. A MUSIC-HALL TURN

Second place in Sarazen’s list is given to (Craig Wood, a 'big, fair-hairecl golfer from. New York, who tied with iShute for the British title, and lost on the replay. I do not propose to quarrel with this selection, but 'I do take exception to third place being by Kirkwood, whose chief claim to fame is that 'he is able to, give an amusing entertainment of trick shots •more suited to a music-hall than a golf course. 'lf I were compiling.a ranking list, I should not even consider the. inclusion of Kirkwood’s name, or those of 'Ralph Guldahl, iW. Hoggin, and W. Macfarlane, who are the last three players in ‘Sarazen’s list. (Guldhal, a young player from Texas, now at St. Louis, was the runner-up to '.Goodman in the open (championship, while tVlacfarlane, who was champion nine years ago, recently Avon a ten-fhousand-dbllar tournament at 'Miami. (Macfarlane, an Aberdonian, who has announced his intention of competing in the .British Open at Sandwich, has had an unusual career. 'He beat Jones in the 1925 championship, picking up five strokes in the last nine holes, but since that memorable occasion ■'Macfarlane has only competed spasmodically; indeed, last summer he decided that it was not worth his while even to attempt to qualify for the title. Hollowing this odd gesture, he Avon the Metropolitan Open, and recently one of the Ibig prizes of the winter season. Among American golfers the belief exists that the man who wins the iMia-mi tournament Avins the British Open, hence Macfarlane’s visit to this country. The two previous winners at I Miami were ISarazen and .Shiite, each following up -his success by capturing the British title. If Macfarlane repeats the process I shall begin, to think that there is something in this article of faith. It is curious that Sarazen 'lould have left out of his list Harry Cooper, of (Chicago, Avho headed last. year’s averages Avi'th 72.1, a really fine achievement.

H AIG-EN ’S POSITION When Walter (Hagen Aims at his peak he Avas asked for his system of procedure in tournament and championship play. “I shoot for 73’.5, and usually, if I get ’em I Avin,’’ was the reply. Very few events to-day are Avon by players averaging 73’s, though IShute accomplished four consecutive^7B^’s at (St. Andrews. Hagen, who is seventh in the ranking list, averaged 73.16 last season, not too bad a figure for a player now rarely keyed up to the old pitch of determination, and enthusiasm. Macdonald 'Smith is sixth in the list of the Avorld’s best ten. He seems to take no notice of the passing of time, for his play to-day is on the same high lev el as was the case nearly a quarter

of a century ago Avhen he tied with his brother Alee for the American, championship. Macdonald Smith’s average for the year was 7i2.0, a figure which is a glowing testimony to tne possession of one of the most perfect swings in golf. If the players representing the numbers 3,4, 5,8, 9, and 10 had been omitted, and their places taken by iSarazen, Padgham, ‘Cotton, 'Ailiss, Mit•ichell, and ‘Goodman, I would- have (been in some sort of agreement with ISarazen. As it is, I fail to understand on what basis he is working.