WONDERFUL CAREER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 114, 4 August 1927, Page 9

WONDERFUL CAREER

SCOTTISH-AMERICAN CHAMPION great wrist strength It is stale news that T. L>. Armour n the American open championship ifter tieing with H. Cooper with a 301 ujregate, but a few lines from Ray McCarthy, in the Oakland “Tribune,” ncerning Armour’s career, are full of interest. He says that Armour was badly battered in the war. He suffered a severe injury to his left arm and the oss of sight in one eye. Seven years .igo he came to America with a repuation as one of the best amateur golfers the bonnie land of Scotland ever has produced. For a time things were very rosy for Thomas 13. Armour in the States. He gave striking evidence his proficiency as a golfer in several tournaments. He has a likeable personality that quickly won him riends, and he began to prosper in a business way. But perhaps things came easily too ! quickly. Or maybe Armour found ream to civilised life much sweeter after •our years of war than he had antipated. The war seemed to have imbued him with a sort of reckless philosophy. In any event, matters sudienly took a turn for the worse for the scot. His golf game soured. After i rosy start he was a flop. So everybody thought. TURNED PROFESSIONAL Three years ago Armour turned over a new leaf. He decided to earn his living at the thing he could do best—namely, golf. Accordingly he turned professional. He settled down to the maple life, took his profession seriusly, and began to work at it. He ntered the open championship at Wor* ster two years ago, and made only a iir showing. Last year, after a great ompetitive season in the south, Ardour improved his showing in the open u Scioto over that of the previous b°ir He carried on through the win•erinfine style again, and finally came 'o the goal all the professional golfers the American open championship. Armour well deserved to win his vurels at Oakmont. He played the most consistent golf of any competitor a the tournament. AMAZING STRENGTH It was quite interesting to observe in the styles of Armour and “Light Horse” Harry Cooper as fought out the issue in the playArmour, possessing a very fine rompact swing verging on the horizontal snowed himself to be a wonderfully : r ‘ e shot maker in every respect. The *** c »n play a half or spare shot the same great strength and facty that he executes an iron whole, cd when it comes to playing the p®*. Armour is practically in a class • himself. Certainly he has no '‘™ r - His firmness and remarkedirection in this department of the are . d ue to the unusual strength -bif wr ists. Tommy can hold three C U^3 with the thumb and fore••«er at arm’s length, gripping only V ery ends of the shaft. JJ 3 ! 0 ® think this is easy, try holding club in a like manner. *oung COoper, who has just turned t'J , ervea sreat credit for his wonJiui showing. This was Cooper’s ond qpen championship entry. The r.in <!ame into prominence in Jan--1926, when he captured the 10,000 jiarsopen at Los Angeles.