GOLF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 24 June 1937, Page 14

GOLF

NEW GOLF CHAMPION [By Air Mail—From Our Own Correspondent] LONDON, 3rd June. Robert Sweeny, a young American, is the new British amateur golf champion, and it was remarkable that his success was the first he had achieved in a big national tournament. Born in Pasadena, California twenty-five years ago he came to England in 1930 to attend Oxford University. Up to that point he had played little golf, but two years later he appeared for the University against Cambridge when his brother Charles was captain of the team. Since the new champion has lived in London, he has had little time for golf except at the week-end. He'is a member of the Royal and Ancient Club, St. Andrews as well as Sandwich, where the championship was decided, and where he defeated Lionel Murin, the Irishman, in the thirty-six holes final by three up and two to play. Munn is twice Sweeny’s age, and he won the first of his seven Irish championships before the American was born. This was at the time when John Ball and Harold Hilton were the foremost amateur golfers in the world, and even then Munn had a high reputation. In fact, it was said that he w’as the finest wooden-shot players in the game. Badly wounded in the war, h was feared that he would not be able to play again. He left Ireland, and took up farming in Kent, but after six years he started to play again, and he at once became a strong opponent. As he trudged back to the clubhouse after the match with Sweeny, Munn said: “I am tired out.” This was scarcely surprising for he had played on six consecutive days, and on most of them two rounds At his age it was inevitable that he should have to concede most of his opponents a good deal of length from the tee but he held an advantage through the accuracy of his shots to the green and in his putting.. But his short game demanded the closest concentration, and the strain was bound to tell. In the circumstances he put up a wonderful fight, being only one down at the end of the first round, althougn Sweeny went round in 73. In fact he took the lead at the fifth hole in the afternoon. He could not, however, sustain his effort, and the young American proceeded to win three consecutive holes, and was never, in danger of being caught after this grand spurt

It was a surprising result. Locke, the young South African, was a strong favourite, but—how often do favourites win’ Only the man who is at the peak o f his form in every match can succeed, Cyril Tolley was another player who was thorght to have excellent prospects, but be went down just as unexpectedly as Locke. But the latter is at his best with a card and pencil, and he may be seen in more advantage in the Open championship