AMERICAN GOLFERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 289, 3 November 1934, Page 9

AMERICAN GOLFERS.

A CHEERFUL PARTY. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Nov. 2. Cheerfulness is a predominant characteristic of the American professional golfers who passed through Auckland by the Mariposa on their way to Australia. Five of the six members are accompanied by their wives—one is on his honeymoon—and all arc looking forward to their tour with the utmost keenness. Discussions were held with a view to arranging a New Zealand tour bv the team on its way back from Australia. All the visitors are keen to play in the Dominion but the matter could not be settled. Negotiatipns will proceed with the Americans while they are in Australia and if the tour is arranged exhibition matches will probably be played in the main centres during the latter half of December. The captain of the team, Paul Runyan, is at present professional champion of the United States. He is accompanied by his wife. Craig Wood, run-ner-up in the American professional championship this year and second to Sluite in the British open championship of 1933, is described by Runyan as perhaps the most consistently long-hitter in the United States. Until a few years ago he was an engineering student, but casual acquaintance with golf on a summer holiday led him to take up the game seriously. He is now one of the most finished players in the world. The trip for him is a honeymoon as well as a golfing tour as he was married to a prominent New York society girl just before his departure from the United States.

The only player in the team who has won the British open championship is Densmore Shute. Harry Cooper, in Runyan’s opinion, is the soundest shot player in the world to-day. Described as the only “real veteran” of the team, Leo Diegel is still among the first flight of American golfers. Runyan was enthusiastic over the golfing ability of K. Laffoon, the youngest member of the team. “He was practically unknown a year ago,” the team captain said, “but early this summer we got to know him as the ‘champion runner up.” In practically every tourney in which he played he finished second. Then in the autumn he won three important tournaments out of four and was responsible for some of the most brilliant performances in American golf for the past ten years.”