AMERICAN GOLF

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 13 (Supplement)

AMERICAN GOLF

BIG PRIZE MONEY WON TOTAL OF £31,349 FOR MAJOR EVENTS Densmore Shute’s splendid 3 and 2 victory over Jimmy Thomson in the final of the P.G.A. championship brought to a close the American summer schedule of tournaments - There were 35 major tournaments; 27 of them were medal play; two match-play singles; two pro-pro bestball fourball events; and one proamateur event at match play. These were played In 15 different States, and in Canada. Total prize-money for the major events amounted to £31,349. In addition minor sectional tournaments brought the total close to f 40,000. This was £2BOO more than in 1935. Immediately after the P.G.A. Anal the professionals moved down south to Augusta, Georgia, to open the 1936-37 winter circuit. More than £IB,OOO has been allocated for the 23 winter tournaments. Florida heads the list with £7600 for 10 events. California is next with £4400 for five, and Texas, North and South Carolina and Georgia tournaments will raise the prize money to the amount stated. In addition, £2OO was added to the main purses of the Miami-Biltmore open, and the Nassau open.

This was awarded to the three lowscoring members of any of the 28 districts of the P.G.A. in those two tournaments. This prize was divided; £IOO to the first tiio of low scorers, £6O to the second three and £4O to the third trio.

Starting the winter series on November 27-29 with the Augusta £IOOO open, Ralph Guldahl won £2OO with 75, 71, 70, 67; Shute and Picard each won £l3O, Armour, Watrous and Hines took £73 each, and Runyan and Manero each got £27. Passing on to the Miami-Biltmore opfbv at Coral Gables, Florida, on December 4-9, the leaders and prizemoney were:— Ralph Guldahl, 70, 68, 69, 76—283 Horton Smith, 68, 69, 77, 71—285 £250. Gene Sarazen, 69, 72, 74, 71—286 £175. Harold McSpaden, 70, 71, 75, 70—286 —£l7s. Denny Shute, 72, 71, 71, 73—287 £l3O. Henry Picard, 73, 72, 69, 74—288 £IOO. Mike Turnesa, 71, 73, 71, 73—288 £IOO. Lawson Little, 74, 66, 73, 76—289 £4O. There were eleven other prize-win-ners. A large group of American professionals made the short water trip across the Gulf Stream ''om Florida to Nassau, the famous British winter resort. Willie Macfarlane, the 46-year-old Scottish-born professional, had four rounds of either par or subpar golf, and won first money in the £4OO Nassau open by three strokes. His 266 for 72 holes is the lowest score ever recorded on a championship course during a major tournament. Scores;— Willie Macfarlane, 68, 68, 64, 66 266—f160. Horton Smith, 71, 66, 65, 67—269 £BO. Harry Cooper, 68, 68, 68, 65—269 £BO.