GOLF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 7 June 1938, Page 12

GOLF

NEW GOLF STAR IBy Air Mail- Own Correspondent] LONDON, 12th May. An eightccn-ycars-old golfer from Ire- ( land. James Bruen, lias flashed info prominence, and captured the imagination as few players have ever clone. lie is declar- <’ ! to be the best British amateur for a century- another Bobby Jones! It is high praise, and yet by his performances Bvue'i has shown himself to be a golfer of remarkable talents. He was one of the ‘ dark'’ candidates for the British team in the Walker Cup match, and in the trial he surpassed all expectations. In four rounds, in a searching wind at St. Andrews, where the event is (o take place, he had the remarkable aggregate of 283. This was two strokes better than that returned by Bobby Jones in winning the British championship, and a i inauv as nine better than the lowest in the 19J3 event. Moreover-, with a fine round of 68, Bruen equalled the record for the links. His other scores were 71, 71, and 73. It is true that these were made in match play, but they accurately reflected bis golf. Six feet tall and powerfully built, Bruen is still at college, and be intends to take up a business career. He started to play golf at the age of fourteen, at once shewing a remarkable flair for the game, and though he has had few opportunities to appear in open competition, his skill is hacked by an assurance which is remarkable. The trials were a big success, and the form shown was so good that all the pessimism which had obtained was dispelled. Indeed, it is now believed that there is a first-class chance of the Americans being beaten for the first time. Niue of the team have boon chosen. They include the captain, J B. Beck, who is likely to appear only in the foursomes, and four ot Ilex Englishmen. They are J. J. F. Penuink, who recently retained his title as English champion, L. G. Crawley, a Cambridge triple blue and an Essex county cricketer, H G. Bentley, who played against the Americans at Pine Valley two > pal’s ago, and C. Stowe, the Midlands champion, who was formerly a miner and ic now a clerk in a colliery near Wolverhampton. Ihere are three Scotsmen, Hector Thomson, the son of a Glasgow professional, and the open champion of two years ago, G. B. Peters, and A. T. Kyle will Bruen as the representative of Ireland. The tenth player will not be chosen until after the amateur championship. All these men played to a standard at St. Andrews that was uncommonly high for British amateur golf, and, if the form is reproduced against the Americans, 1 think the latter may be beaten. The outlook is extremely encouraging.