Walter Hagen Dips Into The Future

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6864, 21 May 1932, Page 11

Walter Hagen Dips Into The Future

FAMOUS GOLFER PLANNING VISITS TO EUROPE THIS YEAR AND NEXT

■ROM the Pacific coast of the United States, where he is competing in the circuit of winter tournaments arranged to attract some, at least, of America’s four million golfers to the land of sunshine, comes an interesting announcement concerning Walter Hagen’s plans tor the immediate future. He contemplates making two v visits to Europe, one in June for the purpose ot playing in the British championship at Prince’s, and the other next year as captain of the United States Ryder Cup team. Hagen’s last appearance in Great Britain was at Muirticld, three years ago, where he gave one of the most masterly displays ever witnessed in a championship. On the last day, in a tearing wind which blew most of the competitors sky high, Hagen accomplished two glorious rounds of 75 each. With a previous round of 67, a score that is likely to stand as the record

evs that Hagen is making another attempt. “I am not playing well enough at the moment.” says Hagen, “hut I . believe that, by going into strict training, I shall he fit enough for anything. I expect to win one of the big national championships this summer. Last year I was most happy to win the Canadian because that was the only national event I had never won. From a financial point of view, the winning of the United States Open would he the more lucrative, hut I should derive far more satisfaction from winning the. British.. I am desperately keen on tieing with Braid and Taylor, leaving Vardon in his glory as the only man to win six British championships.” There is no knowing what Hagen can do when he settles down seriously to tackle a given problem, comments a writer in an English publication.. Who would have dreamed that, after his stupendous defeat—lß and 17—at the hands of Archie Compston, at Moor Park., in 1928. Hagen would win the championship at Sandwich a fortnight later? The thing seemed impossible, and. yet in that brief snace Hagen, by downright hard work and wholehearted concentration on the task before him, wiped out the severest rebuff that any distinguished golfer has ever received.

Tn these circumstances it would be folly to disregard Hagen’s statement that, given a period of strict training, he can win another national championship. Resides, the removal of the cramping influence of Bobby Jones is, nevhaps. a point more favourable to Hagen than any other professional. For reasons best known to himself, hut not far to seek, he has kept out of Jones’s way so far as the BriMsh Open is concerned. Hagen tried the experiment at T.ytbam and St. Annes. in 1926, when .Tones beat him hv four shots, since when the two have kent anart. Dcsnitc Jones’s declaration to the contrary, Hagen is confident that the former will return to competitive golf. “I believe,” savs Hagen, “that Bobby will come back and play tournament coif in the professional radrs. and in Hie open championships. Why, when T was bis age. T reckoned I was just starting to take the game seriously. T cannot believe that Jones twill stay out of golf always: there are too many years ahead of him.” The same view is held by others. Joe Farrell, for examnle. stating that “competitive golf is in Jones’s blood: the nassion is so intense that, sooner or later, it is hound to break out anew. It would be scarcely human for a young man like .Tones to cut biinsc-lf adrift at the zenith of his career.” This is

for the famous East Lothian links for a good many years, the American virtually ran away with the title. This made his fourth victory in the British Open in the space of eight years, an achievement which ODly three men have surpassed. Vardon has won six, and Eraid and J. H. Taylor five times each. It is with a consuming desire to get on level terms with the latter play-

exactly what Jones has done; he has had the sense to close the account .at the top rather than wait for the inevitable fall. If lie ever comes back it will be more for the fun of the thing than with any serious intentions of winning championships, or spectacular prizes. . It is evident that the subject ot Jones, and his influence on world golf, has occupied a good deal of thought on the part of Ilagcn, and, indeed, the rest

of the profession. When invited to say what effect the retirement of Jones had had on golf in America and Great Britain, Hagen replied: “I wonder if it has had any effect. We all talk of him, and this stirs us to trv for greater achievements. Golfing fans may not now travel so far to see an amateur championship, but the absence of Jones has not diminished interest in the professional side of golf. While it is possible that Jones’s oneyear record of four world championships may he dunlicated, at the same time its accomplishment is very improbable, for the reason that only an amateur can do the trick. If I were an amateur I would not consider the feat impossible for myself.” The only useful comment to be made in this direction is that Hagen has yet to complete half the record. It is 13 years since he won the United States Open, and as time slins by—he is. 41 his prospects of another success diminish. Hagen is in a reflective mood; he has been dipping into the past, the present, and the future. Of the past, he regards Harry Vardon as a professional and Jones as an amateur as the two greatest competitive golfers, and of the present Hagen names three —Gene Sarazen, T. D Armour, and Macdonald Smith. As regards the future, there is only one—Horton Smith. Tint this is Hagen’s modesty. He himself should be ranged alongside Vardon and Jones.