AMERICAN GOLF

Southland Times, Issue 20609, 6 October 1928, Page 7

AMERICAN GOLF

HAGEN DEFEATED NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL TOURNEY DIEGEL’S 14-FOOT PUTT (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 11.40 p.m.) New York, October 4. Walter Hagen was beaten by Leo Diegel in the quarter-finals of the national pro--1 fessional tournament and his reign as chami pion is ended. The score was two up and ! one to play. I This is the first time since 1923, when I Gene Sarazen nosed him out of the final I by one in 38 holes, that the great Walter i has met a man who could match him in ! competitive spirit and skill in this big proi fessional fixture. j Diegel won fairly by fighting off one of Hagen’s famous rallies and holing out with a 14-foot putt for a “birdie” two on the 35th green. It was up to Hagen then to do the same if he would save his crown and he missed by three inches. Hagen started playing shaky golf and found himself five down after nine holes. He came back with a bare margin of two i down at the end of the morning round. He ; put on a hair-raising rally and was just one down as he went to the 35th tee. The stage was set for a typical Hagen finish. The hole was a 155-yard one-shot encounter with no fairway—nothing but tee, green and trouble. Hagen drove within 13 feet of the hole and Diegal matched him. Putting skill then decided the match. Hagen’s defeat ended a winning streak of 22 consecutive matches' in the course of a five-year period in this classic event. — United Service.