CHAMPIONS MEET

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 59, 7 September 1926, Page 9

CHAMPIONS MEET

THE HAGEN-MITCHELL MATCH

REMARKABLE GOLT DUEL,

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, loth July.

For a stake of £500 a-side a 72-hole golf duel was arranged between Walter Hagen, the American professional, and Abe Mitchell, the English private coach. The large following were assured of seeing magnificent golf, and in view of Mitchell's recent fine form a victory was predicted for England. The contest was all the more interesting because of the contrasting personalities of the two opponents. Hagen, after a night in the train from Lancashire, stepped on to the tee in immaculate attire, with black hair sleek and glistening. His is a forceful personality, and he Tadiates self-confid-ence. Mitchell, on the other hand, is not seen until the moment for his turn to drive, when he appears from the spectators, gets away a beautiful ball, ■and steps back into the crowd again. The first 36 holes were played over Wentworth, Virginia Water, in dull, eool weather, and as the result of somewhat patchy play by both men Mitchell ended the day with the substantial lead of 4 holes. The second half was played at St. George's Hill, Weybridge. Play was timed to begin at 10.30. It ,was 10.55 before Hagen appeared, and the effect of waiting on a sensitive player like Mitchell, who was ready to tee up at the arranged time, must have been considerable. I did not hear that any excuse was given by Hagen. In the first six holes, by perfect play and uncanny putting, he won four holes, and Mitchell's lead had vanished. Hagen was 2 under fours. Then began level pegging until the tenth, when'he putted out from 30 yards away, giving him the lead of 1 up. The morning had become exceedingly hot, and Hagen seemed to revel in the sunshine. St the fifteenth he secured a 4 to Mitchell's 5, and became 2 up. Mitchell reduced this to 1 up by sinking a long putt at the seventeenth. Both played perfect golf at the eighteenth and halved the hole in 4's. Hagen's morning round was the remarkable one of 68, and of that sum only 30 were taken on the greens. The figures were:— Hagen.—Out; 4, 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 3, 4 —34. In: 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5, 4, 4—34. Mitchell.—Out: 4, 5, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 3, 4—38. In: 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 5, 5, 3, 4—35. THE FINAIi ROUND. Starting on the final round at 2.45, with a gallery of some 3000, both drove perfect balls. Mitchell was on in 2,! while Hagen was well below the green. However, he chipped almost dead and halved the hole in 4. At I'e second i from level drives he again took one putt and halved in 4. With his tee shot at the third Mitchell was three yards from the pin, while Hagen's ball lay in the heather to the right. Studying the approach carefully, he put it within two f oet of the pin. Mitchell made a great effort to hole his putt, but halved the hole in 3. Hagen outdrove Mitchell at the fourth (274 yards), and, putting his second well on, once again holed his putt. Mitchell was short, and took 4, thus allowing Hagea to again become 2 up.

At the fifth Mitchell missed his drive and could only put his second on the fairway, reaching the green in 3 to his opponent's 2. However, the unexpected happened, and Eagen, overrunning the hole, missed the return putt, giving Mitchell his chance to halve in 5. At the next hole Mitchell placed his second within two yards of the pin. His opponent, after a poor second, played a wonderful recovery shot from the rough and holed out for 4. Mitchell, to the crowd's relief, secured a 3, and reduced his deficit to 1 down. Hagen's second was through the green at the seventh, while Mitchell's ball lay close to the pin. The crowd held its breath while Hagen's run-up shot with a mid almost holed out. Again each halved in 4. The short eighth found both balls on the green. Hagen played first, and the hole was halved in 3. After level drives Mitchell played a beautiful second, and excitement was intense while he attomptecl a 6ft putt for a 3 to square the match. The ball did not fall, and Mitchell for the first time tried the putt over again. This timo it dropped in and the crowd applauded. Both players had gone out in 34.

EXCITEMENT FOR GALLERY.

The tenth, eleventh, and twelfth holos were halved, while at the thirteenth (422yds) Hagen again putted successfull for a 3. Ho was now 2 up and within siglit of victory. The heat was now very intense, but very few of the crowd had fallen by the wayside. By fine determined play, and errors Ay Hagen, Mitchell won the next two notes and squared the match. The excitement and interest of the gallery rose as the .players reached tho sixteenth tee. Hagen still looked and walked like the winner, while Mitchell seemed .•ather weary of tho game. He frequently sat down on the grceng while waiting to putt. Fine recoveries with his second shots and weak play by Mitchell gave the American the next two holes in 4's—a putt of eight yards by Mitchell for a half at the seventeenth just lipping tho hole. So ended a very remarkable struggle, and the "match championship" goes to America. The afternoon scores were:— Hagen.—Out: 4, 4, 3, 3, 5, 4, 4, 3, 4— 34. In: 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 5, 4, 4. Mitchell.—Out, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 3, 4—34. In: 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5, 5.