GOLF IN BRITAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26479, 5 June 1947, Page 2

GOLF IN BRITAIN

AMERICANS DOMINATE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP British golf suffered a further transatlantic knock to its prestige when, for the first time in its history, the final of the amateur championship was contested by two Americans—W. P. Turnesa and R. D. Chapman. Both players were members of the victorious Walker Cup team which recently beat Britain by 8 matches to 4 at St. Andrews, and they have not- ■ able records in the United States. The winner, Turnesa, who defeated Chapman 3 and 3, is a former American national champion, and was a semi-finalist in the 1946 United States Amateur championship. His team mate, Richard Chapman, in addition to a long list of state successes, was national champion in 1940. The first overseas golfer to win the British amateur title was Walter Travis. He was born in Australia, but was a naturalised American when he won the title in 1904. In 1930 —the year of his immortal grand slam of four major championships —Bobby Jones won the British Open and Amateur, and four years later anotherAmerican, Lawson Little, now a professional, took the amateur title in two consecutive years. Turnesa and Chapman are staying on for the Open, which will, begin at Hoylake at the end of the month. They will find themselves in verydistinguished company, and if Turnesa can win the double he will be the first amateur to break a long run of professional successes between the two wars.