GOLF NEWS FROM BRITAIN

Chronicle (Levin), 7 May 1949, Page 3

GOLF NEWS FROM BRITAIN

The Opposition That . Alex. Murray Will Meet (Specially written by Tom Scott, well-known British golf writer). Alex Murray, New Zealand's outstanding golfer and open champion, has arrived back in Britain after 21 years and, wisely, is to mix business with pleasure . by playing in all the major professional tournaments during the season. He began in the "Silver King" tournament at Moor Park, near London, on April 20-22, and from now on until October he will play in tournaments at the rate of nearly one a week. Following the "Silver King" Murray competed in the southern qualifying section of the "Daily Mail," in which all overseas players must play. He qualified well up. His next engagement is in one of the biggest of the sponsored tournaments, the "Dunlop," which began yesterday and continues until Friday, at Wentworth, Surrey. Afte^ that it will be a continual dash round the country, taking part in one tournament after another; but if the effort is great the stakes are worthy. of it. Several of the tournaments oi'fer £2000 in prize-money, and the majority put up £1500. That means a first prize of anything from £350 up to £500. In addition to the first prize there are some 40 money prizes in every tournament, and all players who qua'lify for the last day's play in stroke tournaments receive cash. This at least helps to meet expenses. Murray's many friends in New Ze'aland will be wishing their champion well; we in Britain wish him well also, for he has impressed everyone as a very likeable man. The few who remember him when he was attacbed to the Robin Hood Club, at Birmingham, remember that even then he was a useful player, and his record in New Zealand suggests that he has developed into a' very good one. It is difficult at this time to estimate his chances in the tournaments; judgment must be left to a later date. We know he is a. good player, that hesis experienced and a fighter. The last visitor we had from "down under" was Norman von Nida and he did uncommonly well. But it has to be rememhered that during von Nida's first visit the British pros were still trying to recover their form after their war service; some of them played well but others were still floundering. The same state of affairs does not exist now. Last season Fred Daly, twice ma'tch-play champion, was in magnificent form. Henry Cotton showed by his win in the open championship that he is still Britain's master golfer. Ward was as steady as ever, Padgham gave glimpses of his great pre-war skill with his irons, Bees was patchy, chiefly due to his health, Burton, the former open champion, was better than at any time since 1939. In addition to these golfers whose reputations are made, a few of the younger players began to break through last season. Ken Bousfield, Burton's assistant finished well up the averages, while 16-stone St. Andrews'-born, Laurie Ayton, reached the final of the match-play championship. There also began to trickle through stories of a player in the minor tournaments, Harry Weetman, assistant at Hartsbourne Manor Country Club, who could hit the ball further than anybody in the country. During the winter Weetman confirmed all the good things said about him by winning the Herts County championship. In April he won the first post war British Assistants' championship, mainly by a last round of 73 in a day of wind and hail, so boisterous that scores of most competitors were blown into the 90's. Some authorities have called it one of the greatest rounds of golf ever played in Britain. These are some of the British players with whom Murray will have to contend. There will be others too, for this autumn the British professionals play the United States in the Rydex* Cup, and all will be trying to make the grade to get into the team. Of the overseas players, there- will be Flory Van Donck, the Belgian, who always competes in the British tournaments, often with success. A much greater threat, in my view, will be the South American men led by Roberto De Vicenzo. De Vicenzo only played in two tournaments last year. He finished fourth in the open championship and won the "North British." His avera'ge of scoring was the most even of all competitors but only covered eight rounds. Another South American, Rossi, is also first-class. Then there will be one or two Americans, but here for the open championship only. It is possible that several of the' American Ryder Cup team will compete in perhaps two of the last tournaments of the season. Only one American, Art Clarke, will be playing all season. He js consistant rather than brilliant. Last but' not least, Bobby Locke, who has not been to Britain for a long "time, is also expected. That is a brief line-up of the opposition Alex Murray will meet; and it is formidable. I should say that only very good scores will win tournamentE

I understand that the New Zealander is a clever shot-maker, however, and it is perhaps in his fa'vour that a great many courses may suit his type of play. A number of the big-hitting professionals like the wide open spaces of the seaside links,. but this year, apart " from the open championship, none of the tournaments is being played on any of the classic courses, except the Masters, at St. Andrews. I predict that Murray may take a little time to settle down to our lush inland courses, but onee he has become acclimatised I expect him to give a good account of himself. "Tell tlie folks baek home I7m going to have a good crack." Mux*ray told me. And also being a Scot, I could read determination in every word.